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2000-2009<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n 2000<\/strong> – Mark Wyatt, Mike Holmes and George Jones meet with John Lecky and Gren Thomas and obtain their support to establish a new Foundation to help raise funds for rugby in Canada in a tax-advantaged way for future donors. This was to become the Canadian Rugby Foundation. Gren Thomas pledges $1 million in future donations to help kickstart the Foundation’s first Fund.<\/span><\/p>\n 2001<\/strong> – Rugby Canada Board of Directors endorsed concept of the Foundation after the presentation of a business plan by board members Roger Smith and Mike Holmes. Dr. Pat Parfrey, then President of Rugby Canada, becomes one of the early and continuous supporters of the Foundation.<\/span><\/p>\n 2003<\/strong> – Canadian Rugby Foundation registered as\u00a0a non-share capital corporation incorporated under the Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act and as a registered charity under the Income Tax Act designated as a public foundation (registration number 869159186).<\/span><\/p>\n 2003 – <\/strong>Mike Holmes appointed\u00a0inaugural President<\/span><\/p>\n 2003<\/strong> – Bob Hager and Bruce McFarlane become the first two (voting) members of the Foundation after Gren Thomas and the founding directors.<\/span><\/p>\n 2004<\/strong> –\u00a0Former National Team player Aaron Abrams hired as executive director<\/span><\/p>\n 2005<\/strong> –\u00a0\u00a0Deacy, Parfry and Browne legacy fund for Newfoundland Rugby\u00a0 launched.<\/span><\/p>\n 2006<\/strong> – Gerald McGavin Coaching Awards Fund started<\/span><\/p>\n 2006<\/strong> – Hong Kong 7s Fund started by Randy Heward, John Woodward, and others in Hong Kong, raising over $1 million to assist the Canada 7s teams in the Summer Olympics and HSBC SVNS Series<\/span><\/p>\n 2007 –\u00a0<\/strong>Under President Pat Aldous, the Foundation continued to prosper. Matthuw Ronald Jones was hired as executive director and helped establish some of the more significant awards and funds within the Foundation.<\/span><\/p>\n 2007<\/strong> – The first club fund was established by the Castaway Wanderers RFC<\/span><\/p>\n 2007<\/strong> – Foundation assets surpass $1 million<\/span><\/p>\n 2010-2019<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n 2010<\/strong> –\u00a0Decision made to return to a volunteer-run organization with the goal of keeping administration costs to a minimum. Mike Holmes assumed Chairmanship in Pat Aldous\u2019 place.<\/span><\/p>\n 2010<\/strong> – First student award presented<\/span><\/p>\n 2011<\/strong> – Bob Hager, one of the first contributing members, passes away<\/span><\/p>\n 2011<\/strong> – Foundation assets surpass $2 million<\/span><\/p>\n 2012<\/strong> – Thomas Family Award Fund established<\/span><\/p>\n 2012<\/strong>\u00a0– First club fund in Ontario established by the Toronto Scottish RFC<\/span><\/p>\n 2015<\/strong>\u00a0– Fund first tours of BC Rugby girl’s and boy’s teams\u00a0 to Ireland and Newfoundland teams to Ireland<\/span><\/p>\n 2016<\/strong>\u00a0– Monty Heald Senior National Women’s Team Fund established<\/span><\/p>\n 2016<\/strong> – Foundation assets surpass $3 million<\/span><\/p>\n 2017 –<\/b>\u00a0U20 Fund established, and raises $1 million<\/span><\/p>\n 2017<\/strong> – Co-founded the Canadian University Men’s Rugby Championship (CUMRC)<\/span><\/p>\n 2018<\/strong> – Thunder Indigenous Rugby Fund established and later relaunched in 2021 with an ambitious goal to create a $1 million endowment<\/span><\/p>\n 2018<\/strong> –\u00a0Establishment of the first Men’s and Women’s Club Championships led by Hans de Goede and Davine Burton (2019) respectively<\/span><\/p>\n 2019<\/strong> – Foundation surpassed the $4 and $5 million milestones<\/span><\/p>\n 2019<\/strong>\u00a0– Foundation funds first Canadian U20 camp, organized by founder\u00a0 Dr. Pat Parfrey,<\/span><\/p>\n 2019<\/strong>\u00a0– Pacific Pride Legacy Fund established<\/span><\/p>\n 2020-2025<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n 2020<\/strong>\u00a0– Passing of George Jones, one of the original founders<\/span><\/p>\n 2020<\/strong>\u00a0– Foundation reaches 51 Funds, with a balance of $5.9M in assets<\/span><\/p>\n 2021<\/strong> – March 1, Jeff Chan appointed Executive Director (CEO as of November 2025) on a part-time basis with a mandate to grow the Foundation’s funds and assets<\/span><\/p>\n 2021<\/strong> – Inked historic agreement with Fletcher’s Fields Limited (Markham, Ontario) to accept a donation of $11.65 million and to create 6 new Funds (Aurora Barbarians, Markham Irish, Rugby Ontario, Toronto Nomads, Toronto Saracens, Toronto Scottish, and the Fletcher’s Patrons Fund) Article here<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n
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