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Chartered Professional Coaches® and Registered Coaches

The Coaching Association of Canada (CAC) grants the official designation of Chartered Professional Coach® (ChPC®) and the status of Registered Coach to professionals in the field of coaching in Canada. The CAC promotes the profession of coaching and the important role of coaches in the success and effectiveness of sport programs. The programs also regulate coaching and protect the public interest by ensuring its coaches abide by the highest standards of professional and ethical conduct.

ChPCs® and Registered Coaches represent all sports, both professional and amateur. They are recognized as committed individuals who value coaching excellence and its impact on enhancing athlete experiences.

Why become a ChPC® or Registered Coach?

Join a community of committed, respected, and quality coaches who are recognized for their skills, competencies, and passion. ChPCs® and Registered Coaches benefit from the right to respectively use their designation or status by having met a standard of excellence in their profession, and valuing the following:

  • Being recognized for their credibility and extensive experience in coaching
  • Forming part of a community of professionals who have achieved elite status in their career
  • Receiving exclusive professional coach services and benefits
  • Proudly adhering to the ethical and professional standards
  • Raising the confidence of Canadians in protection of the public through their responsible coaching practices

Ethical Conduct Standards

As a Chartered Professional Coach® (ChPC®) or Registered Coach, you are recognized for responsible and ethical conduct. Below are the elements of your application or renewal that demonstrate you meet these ethical conduct standards.

Police Information Check

Complete and submit one of the following recent and valid record checks:   

  • An Enhanced Police Information Centre (E-PIC) check or a Vulnerable Sector Check (VSS, VSV, VSC) from your local Canadian police office that has been issued within the last 6 months. 
    • Submit the information check in its original form by mail to the Coaching Association of Canada, Professional Coaching Department, c/o House of Sport, RA Centre, 2451 Riverside Drive, Ottawa, ON K1H 7X7.
  • An Enhanced Police Information Check (E-PIC) through Sterling Talent Solutions that has been issued within the last 6 months.

    In order to share your results you will need to do the following:
  • An E-PIC from one of Sterling Talent Solutions’ international partners that has been issued within the last 6 months or a Globex or Interpol record check.   
Reference Check

Provide two character references from past or current employers who can verify your work experience. They must be from one of the following:

  • Your National Sport Organization (NSO)
  • Your Provincial/Territorial Sport Organization (PTSO)
  • Your Local Sport Organization (LSO)
  • A ChPC® in good standing

In the online application in the Locker, you will enter an email address for each reference. After you submit the application, the Locker will automatically send an email questionnaire to each of your references. Be sure to advise your references in advance to watch for the reference check request from the Locker. If your reference does not receive this questionnaire, please contact procoach@coach.ca to have it re-sent.

Code of Conduct

As a condition of a coach’s Registered coach or ChPC® designation the signing of their sport organization’s Code of Conduct or the Universal Code of Conduct to Prevent and Address Maltreatment in Sport (UCCMS) is required. As part of the online application process in the Locker, you will be asked to read and sign the CAC License Agreement, as well as declare your ethical conduct.

Declaration of Ethical Conduct and Good Character

Coaches who obtain their ChPC® designation or a Registered Coach license must uphold their commitment to conduct themselves with the highest moral standards at all times. Coaches applying for the designation or license are vetted by the License and Registration Committee.

ChPC® Designation

The ChPC® is the professional designation for sport coaches in Canada. While some coaches may be paid or volunteer, any coach can aspire to be a professional coach.

Guided by their passion for coaching excellence, and their pride in upholding the ethical and professional standards of practice in their craft, ChPCs® represent the pinnacle of their profession. Their personal investment and commitment to their coach education, training, certification, and standards of responsible coaching practices, set the bar for coaching in Canada. ChPCs® have demonstrated their competence as NCCP certified and experienced coaches, who value the technical and ethical standards of the profession.

Chartered Professional Coaches® (ChPCs®) must always meet the four tests of a professional

Serve a higher purpose

They serve a higher purpose by creating a safe and inclusive environment for participants to pursue mental and physical health and well-being. A higher purpose means for the benefit of society. ChPCs® benefit coaching in the expert and safe delivery of coaching services in a way that promotes the mental and physical health and well-being of all participants. This commitment ensures coaches make a safe and inclusive sport environment for all.

Have a shared body of knowledge

They have a shared body of knowledge gained through the National Coaching Certification Program, including sport-specific technical and tactical skills, safety, ethics, development, psychology, and inclusiveness. Competence in coaching requires both sport-specific and multi-sport skills. Coaches can gain the knowledge they need through the National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP). A coach requires the NCCP certification to meet the knowledge eligibility requirement of the Chartered Professional Coach® (ChPC®) designation.

Follow the highest ethical standards

They follow the higher ethical conduct standards required for positions of authority through a regular ethical conduct declaration. Because coaches are in a position of authority, coaches should follow even higher ethical standards than non-coaches. To bring these standards to life, the CAC requires ChPCs® and Registered Coaches to:

  • Commit annually to a Code of Conduct that guides the behaviours and the ethical obligations of coaches
  • Declare annually their ethical conduct
  • Complete an Enhanced Police Information Check (E-PIC) every 3 years
  • Provide two coaching-related references who vouch for their ethical conduct.

Stay accountable to stakeholders

They are accountable to stakeholders (sports organizations and the community) as being knowledgeable, safe, and respectful, both on and off the field of play. Coaches must meet the public's and their sport organization’s expectation that they coach in a way that is knowledgeable, safe and respectful, both on and off the field of play. The CAC promotes coach accountability. Every ChPC® must embrace that accountability.

Benefits for ChPCs® and Registered Coaches

Chartered Professional Coaches® and Registered Coaches in good standing enjoy access to these tangible benefits:

Liability Insurance for Coaches

Liability insurance is necessary to protect yourself when you work outside your regular coaching environment. The CAC provides this insurance package to ChPCs® and Registered Coaches at a discount. The insurance covers paid coaches, unpaid coaches, independent coaches, team leaders, mentors, instructors, and coach developers who may not be insured when working or volunteering with teams, groups, or sanctioned organizations. It also provides additional protection in the event your team or sanctioning body does not have adequate insurance. 

Canadian Insurance Brokers Inc. (CIBI) in conjunction with the CAC has formed an exclusive Insurance Program for Coaches across Canada

  • Premiums above are for $2M CGL and accident. 
  • Additional flat premium of $200 to increase limit to $5M. 
  • Legal Expense Insurance is an additional $190 per coach, 24/7 Legal Helpline access.
Fees

ChPC® and Registered Coach:  
Class A Sports: $300 
Class B Sports: $400 
Class C Sports: $500 

NCCP Coach: 
Class A Sports: $350 
Class B Sports: $450 
Class C Sports: $575 

Coach Developer:
$250 

Health and Dental Benefits

ChPCs® and Registered Coaches have access to an easy-to-use, affordable, and competitive health and dental benefits program. Depending on your coverage needs, you may opt into one of 2 plans. 

For more information on how you can join the health and dental benefits program, contact Benefits by Design (BBD). 

  • English Inquiries: 1-888-272-0413, ext. 125 
  • French Inquiries: 1-888-272-0413, ext. 113 
Fees

Option 1 – Cost per Month (plus taxes)
Single: $58.46
Couple: $109.73
Family: $179.78

Option 2 – Cost per Month (plus taxes) 
Single: $44.31 
Couple: $86.44
Family: $133.92 

Legal Advice

FREE
If you need legal advice pertaining to your coaching activities, including contract review or other disputes, the CAC will connect you with a lawyer and pay for your initial 1 hour consultation. Email procoach@coach.ca.  

SIRC Online

FREE
Gain access at no cost to Canada’s national Sport Information Resource Centre (SIRC), one of the largest online collections of sport-related resources. SIRC includes: 

  • Sport databases and on-line job bank 
  • Leading research on sports science, medicine, and sport development (youth participation, physical education, and physical literacy) 
  • Practical tools such as coaching plans, training programs, club and organization leadership, management and governance templates and guides, and youth sport programming recommendations 
  • Multi-media SIRCuit (Athlete Pathways, Leadership, and High Performance) 

Log in to your Locker account to access this service and click on the Professional Coaching tab on the left side of your screen.  

Rosetta Stone Language Training (English or French)

FREE
Get one of 10 annual licenses to learn French or English, available on a first-come, first-served basis. These licenses are rotated among interested coaches.

If interested, please email procoach@coach.ca.

Discounted Enhanced Police Information Check (E-PIC)

The CAC has teamed with Sterling Talent Solutions to provide an online criminal record check process at a low price of $25 (+tax) per applicant. The Enhanced Police Information Check (E-PIC) provides a secure database to store and share results, manage renewals, and track the progress of individual checks. To reduce your costs, you can share your check with the CAC as well as the organization with which you are coaching. 

Fees:
$25(+tax) 
Regular price is $60 (+tax) 

FACE program

FREE
ChPC® and Registered Coaches are eligible for FACE program grants. The National Sport Organization’s nominate candidates across Canada who would benefit the most from a grant. Then, a committee made up of representatives from Petro‑Canada™, the Canadian Olympic Committee, the Canadian Paralympic Committee and the Coaching Association of Canada choose the recipients. 

CAC National Awards Program

FREE
ChPC® and Registered Coaches are eligible for the CAC National Awards Program

Petro-Canada Sport Leadership Awards Gala ​ 

  • Lifetime Achievement Award: recognizes a lifelong commitment to coaching and coach development.​ 
  • Coach of the Year Award: recognizes the outstanding achievements of a coach, both for the sport performances of their athlete(s) or team and for exhibiting excellence in sport values. ​ 
  • Impact Award: recognizes an individual or organization for their creation of an innovative event or program that has benefited the sport and coaching community.​ 
  • NCCP Coach Developer Awards: recognize outstanding individuals who have gone above and beyond to develop certified and trained NCCP coaches. ​ 
  • Petro-Canada Coaching Excellence Awards: recognize coaches whose athlete or team won a medal at a World Championship, Olympic or Paralympic Games, or at the Special Olympics World Games.​

Quarterly Newsletters

FREE
Update is the CAC’s Professional Coaching program newsletter, emailed four times a year. It normally includes three sections: a topical webinar, professional coaching highlights, and a featured service.

Pro Coach Webinars – Professional Development Points

FREE
Because professional development is a valuable component of coaching excellence, the CAC has assembled a series of webinars sourced from a range of experts in the fields of sport and human leadership and management. ChPCs® and Registered Coaches have exclusive access to these webinars anytime, anywhere by logging in to your Locker account and clicking on the Resources tab. 

Exclusive Professional Development Opportunities

FREE
The CAC will provide various Professional Development opportunities exclusive to ChPC® and Registered Coaches. Examples from the past are PD opportunities in Coach House at the Canada Games, and Mental Health webinar series for Professional Coaches.  

Frequently Asked Questions

Chartered Professional Coaches® and Registered Coaches

Why is it that the CAC offers the ChPC® designation and Registered Coach license; rather than, for example, Sport Canada?

The CAC is dedicated to enhancing the profession of coaching. As the educational and professional body for coaches in Canada, the CAC grants the official designation of ChPC® and the Registered Coach license to professionals in the field of coaching.

The CAC provides multiple services to coaches and promotes the integral role coaches play in the success and effectiveness of sport programs and athlete development in Canada. The CAC also regulates coaching and protects the public interest by ensuring its coaches abide by the highest standard of professional and ethical conduct.

What constitutes “Major Games”?

Major Games can be classified as the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Pan American Games, Parapan American Games, Commonwealth Games, or the highest level of competition in your sport, e.g., World Championships.

How do I qualify to become a ChPC® coach?

A coach must achieve specific levels in the National Certification Coaching Program (NCCP) or post-secondary education, and coaching experience to be considered for the ChPC® designation. The requirements depend on the pathway chosen. Please review the Eligibility Requirements section for more information.

Is a post-secondary education required to attain the ChPC® designation?

A degree or diploma from a post-secondary institution is not required. There are four pathways, and one of the pathways enables coaches to achieve their ChPC® designation by achieving NCCP certification. Please review the Eligibility Requirements section for more information.

What is the difference between the ChPC® and a Registered Coach?

The ChPC® is a professional designation that has requirements in three areas: education, experience, and ethics.

The Registered Coach is a license that includes ONLY the ethics requirements, which are:

  • Reference checks
  • Police Information Check
  • Declared ethical conduct
  • Signed License Agreement
Who can be a reference for application to be a ChPC® or Registered Coach?

References are accepted from your NSO (National Sport Organization), your PTSO (Provincial or Territorial Sport Organization), your LSO (Local Sport Organization), or a ChPC® in good standing. The references must be past or current employers who can verify your work experience.

I am an NCCP coach. Do I need to apply to attain the ChPC® designation or Registered Coach license?

NCCP refers to your coach education and training. The ChPC® designation may include NCCP, but it also includes education through experience, references who validate your work experience, and an Enhanced Police Information Check (E-PIC). So, yes, you need to apply.

Is my NCCP number the same as my Professional Coaching number?

Yes, your National Coaching Certification Program number is your professional coaching number and the Locker is the one central database for your educational and Professional Coaching needs. This means that your Locker profile contains all your NCCP, ChPC® or Registered Coach information, making the application process more efficient.

I forgot my login credentials. What do I do?

Your login credentials are the same as those you use to access the Locker. You can either use your email or your NCCP# with your password. If you forgot your NCCP#, you can use the Lookup my NCCP# function. If you forgot your password, you can use the Forgot Password? function. (NOTE: These functions only work if you have a current and valid email address on your account.) Or you can email procoach@coach.ca or call 613-235-5000 ext. 1 for assistance.

I submitted my application a while ago and still have not heard anything back. What do I do?

Please contact procoach@coach.ca. There is a chance that your application may have been entered but is missing information that you still need to fill in. We will do our best to find what you need to complete your application and have it passed on to the License and Registration Committee.

I hold a Registered Coach license. How do I obtain my ChPC® designation?

If you are currently a Registered Coach, in good standing and you wish to transition to become a Chartered Professional Coach® (ChPC®), you can do so at the time of your renewal by clicking on the Renew and Transition button on your Locker account at no extra cost. A coach must achieve post secondary education or National Coaching Certification Program and coaching experience in order to be considered for the ChPC® designation. For details review the Eligibility Requirements section.

Who can be a reference for my transition to a ChPC®?

References are accepted from your NSO (National Sport Organization), your PTSO (Provincial or Territorial Sport Organization), your LSO (Local Sport Organization), or a ChPC® in good standing.

How do I renew my Registered Coach license?
  • Login to the Locker
  • Click the Professional tab on the left side of your screen
  • Click on the Renew button and follow the onscreen prompts
  • Submit a recent and valid Police Information Check (if you current one expired)
  • Sign the ethical conduct declaration and license agreement
What is the deadline to renew my Registered Coach license?

The annual deadline to renew your Registered Coach license is the anniversary date that you were granted the license. A recent and valid Police Information Check is also required, at minimum, every three years to maintain a status of being in good standing. (TIP: Your anniversary date and your Police Information Check expiry date can be found under the Professional tab of your Locker account.) Visit our Fees page for more information.

How do I remain in good standing?

To be in good standing, you must:

  • Renew your dues annually before your individual renewal deadline (i.e., one year from the date you were granted a license)
  • Have a recent and valid Police Information Check on file (TIP: Your anniversary date and your Police Information Check expiry date can be found under the Professional tab of your Locker account)
  • Sign a Code of Conduct annually
  • Declare your ethical conduct annually
  • Sign the agreement annually
What is a recent and valid Police Information Check?

One of the following is considered a recent and valid Police Information Check:

  • At a minimum, a Canadian Police Information Centre (C-PIC) check or a Vulnerable Sector Check (VSS, VSV, VSC) from your local Canadian police office that has been issued within the last 6 months. Ask them to submit the information check in its original form by mail to the Coaching Association of Canada, Professional Coaching Department, c/o House of Sport, RA Centre, 2451 Riverside Drive, Ottawa, ON K1H 7X7;
  • An Enhanced Police Information Check (E-PIC) through Sterling Talent Solutions that has been issued within the last 6 months; or
  • An E-PIC from one of Sterling Talent Solutions’ international partners that has been issued within the last 6 months or a Globex or Interpol record check.

Committees

Licensing and Registration Committee

The Licensing and Registration Committee is a standing committee of the Professional Coaching Program at the CAC, with the mandate to oversee the License Agreement of ChPCs® and Registered Coaches. The Committee is responsible for evaluating and approving applications of individuals for the ChPC® designation and Registered Coach status.

  • Lynn Boudreau, ChPC® (Chair)
  • Danielle Emmons, Registered Coach
  • Matthew Holmberg, ChPC®
  • Abderrahim Moussa, Registered Coach
  • Michael Frogley, ChPC®
  • Sean Turriff, ChPC®