Governance
The Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) is governed by a large group of volunteers gathered from all areas of the nation and united by a common interest in sport and the Olympic Movement. Currently, the COC membership is comprised of more than 3,500 members spread over the three levels of Governance.
Board of Directors
The COC Board of Directors manages the affairs of the COC. It meets four times annually. It is responsible for a number of activities including approving the appointment of the CEO, providing direction to the CEO, adoption of policies and programs that implement the COC’s strategic plan, adoption of the COC’s annual budget, monitoring the implementation of the policies, programs, and budgets that it adopts, determining the size and composition of each Canadian Pan American and Olympic Team, and approving all award recipients. The Board is accountable to the Session.
Session
The COC Session consists of a representative of each National Sport Federation governing a sport on the official programs of the Olympic, Olympic Winter, or Pan American Games; the IOC Members in Canada; the members of the Athletes’ Council Executive; a Coaches representative; the Chair of the Canadian Olympic Foundation; the International Federation Presidents resident in Canada; twelve Directors-at-large; two Canadian Olympians, and the CEO. At present, the Session comprises 97 voting members and one non-voting member (the CEO). It meets once annually. The Immediate Past President is also a Session Member. The Session provides overall direction to the Board of Directors. Its primary areas of responsibilities are establishing the COC’s vision, mission, values and direction, monitoring the progress of the COC toward its stated goals, and setting the overall policy and strategic objectives. Within these areas of responsibilities the Session approves the Strategic and Financial Plan for each quadrennium, receives the COC financial statements and the Auditors’ report, annually appoints the COC’s auditors and, when required to do so, selects Bid Cities to go forward on behalf of the COC.
COC Membership
Members at each level of governance obtain their positions through one of four channels. They are appointed, are elected, are ex officio or are designated in a non-voting capacity depending on the class of membership they fall under. Elected members hold their positions for a term of four years while appointed representatives retain their membership until their appointing organization designates another representative or until the appointing organization ceases to be recognized by the COC. Ex officio members retain their membership for the duration of their term in office. Every two years one-half of the B Session members, one-half of the non-officer Board members, and one-half of the Officers are elected to four-year terms ensuring continuity and overlap for the elected positions within the COC.
Role of COC Members
The COC Membership is comprised of more than 3,500 members and is constructed to represent the various stakeholder groups representing the Olympic Movement in Canada, including all Olympic athletes and coaches. The Membership is to act as a body of knowledge in the strategic consultation process of the COC and as a resource to the COC Session/Board and Management.