FAQ
A Sanctioned Tournament is one which, upon request from your Tournament Director, has been endorsed first by Pickleball BC (“PBC”) and then by Pickleball Canada (“PCO”) as meeting standards defined by the international rules of pickleball and Pickleball Canada. To be sanctioned by PBC/PCO means an event meets those standards, is well-organized, fair and safe for competitors, and follows the rules and regulations set by the governing bodies. Also, in 2026, you can receive tournament subsidies.
Visit here for more information.
How do referees get accredited – what is the process if I want to be a BC/Canada accredited referee?
The Pickleball BC referee accreditation page explains how aspiring pickleball referees in BC can join the officiating program, starting as a “Verified Trainee” through Pickleball Canada. It outlines available training resources, mentorship opportunities, online testing, and the process for achieving Level One or Level Two referee accreditation, including assessments, required test scores, and coordination with accredited mentors and assessors. Visit the link above for more information.
In Canada, the National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) is the nationally recognized framework used across many sports to train, certify, and track coaches through standardized education in areas like ethics, safety, athlete development, and technical skills. It is administered through the Coaching Association of Canada in partnership with national and provincial sport organizations.
In pickleball, Canada is building similar national standards for both coaching and officiating through Pickleball Canada. The referee certification pathway includes levels such as Verified Trainee, Level 1, Level 2, and Certified Referee, with formal training, testing, mentorship, visual-acuity requirements, ongoing evaluations, and renewal standards.
These standards matter because they create consistency, safety, and credibility across the sport. Certified coaches and referees help ensure tournaments are fair, rules are applied consistently, players receive quality instruction, and clubs or sanctioned events can trust that officials meet nationally recognized competencies.
More information here: Pickleball BC and Pickleball Canada.
“Affiliated Club” Agreement is a Club dedicated to only pickleball and ALL members must join PBC & Pickleball Canada (“PCO”). With that 100% membership criteria comes an insurance policy/coverage including liability component.
“Associated Partner Organization” Agreement for multi-sport entities such as Hollyburn Country Club and the North Shore Winter Club in Vancouver. Membership requirements are not the same since player PBC and PCO membership are not required but encouraged, and there is no insurance offered to the Associated Partner. All PBC/PCO members still retain their insurance coverage.
Your membership will indicate your support for the development of this organization and the overall goals set out. Some of the benefits a player would have with a PBC membership would include:
- A PBC website that captures information from across the province and links to information outside BC
- Information on places to play across the province
- A network of like-minded people across the province who are prepared to share their knowledge to promote the sport
- Access to Third Party General Liability & Medical Expense Reimbursement insurance.
- Monthly “Kitchen Sink” newsletter with local/national/international news, board information, club stories, and more
- And many more, visit here.
Activating Youth Pickleball in BC (“AYPBC”) is a Pickleball BC Association (“PBCA”) initiative that aims to promote the sport to provincial students K – 7.
In June 2024, viaSport BC announced the Provincial Sport Development Fund, offering up to $30,000 per BC Provincial Sport Organization through the BC Sport Participation Program to support inclusive community sport and physical activity initiatives across BC. PBCA felt they qualified and thus, applied on June 30th 2024. Read more here.
We welcome any AYPBC questions or comments to President@PickleballBC.ca.
You need both Pickleball BC (PBC) and Pickleball Canada (PCO) memberships because they function as a mandatory, bundled package to ensure you are insured, and that your club supports both provincial and national development. PCO covers national insurance and programs, while PBC manages provincial advocacy and safety standards (100% membership required for affiliated clubs). This bundle is explained on the registration page that you went to.
Dual membership provides you and your family with:
- Insurance Coverage: PCO provides a common policy for liability and accident insurance, but this coverage is contingent upon being a member of both the provincial (PBC) and national (PCO) organizations.
- Club Affiliation Requirements: Most pickleball clubs in B.C. are affiliated with PBC and require 100% of their members to hold both PCO and PBC memberships to maintain their own insurance and status. V-Club is an alternative if you do not belong to a club.
- Fundraising and Development: The combined membership structure (often done through the PCNS system) ensures that provincial, specific to B.C., and national organizations have the funding to run tournaments, coaching programs, and officiant training.
- Simplified Registration: You cannot join one without the other, as the Pickleball BC site states you should not submit separate forms; a club membership handles both at once.
