Remy Greer
Sports Reporter

A study due at the end of this month could be the first step toward increased partnership between college and university sports in Canada, said athletic director Doug Fox.
LBB Consultants, a Montreal-based firm, administered the study, funded by Sport Canada, which examines the feasibility of a strategic relationship between the Canadian Colleges Athletics Association (CCAA) and Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS).
“We haven’t had hockey in a while it would be nice to have a hockey league so we can put ourselves back in. There’s quite a few sports (the CIS) play that we don’t.”
Humber, a CCAA member, could have access to a plethora of CIS sports, including football, field hockey, track and field, wrestling and swimming, should a partnership between the organizations be agreed upon.
“A potential merger is but one end of a very broad spectrum of possible collaborative options,” said CIS director of operations and development Tom Huisman.
He said the report, or an executive summary of it, will likely be available at the end of April.
Huisman said once the report from the consultants is received it will need to go through a process of consideration from the memberships of the CIS and CCAA.
Fox said athletes at Humber would benefit from further competition with universities.
“I think it would open up so many new avenues for us. Our top programs would be playing against the best kids in the country.”
Despite the potential advantages of a merger, Fox said the relationship between the colleges and universities needs to change.
“There’s still a stigma that we’re second class citizens,” said Fox. “The Ontario universities are not positive for it. It’s got to be a thing where both sides want it.”
CCAA executive director Sandra Murray-MacDonell said the colleges in the west have shown more desire for a partnership or merger with the CIS, but could not predict the conclusions of the study.
“I’m very excited myself to the see all the results come out,” said Murray-MacDonell.