Carry the voyageur tradition forward.
The Canadian Voyageur Brigade Society connects paddlers, organizers, and communities across Canada through epic big-canoe journeys on the country’s most storied waterways.
Next up
2027 Brigades
Two big-canoe journeys confirmed for next summer — the South Saskatchewan River and Fort Langley’s bicentennial.
South Saskatchewan River Brigade
Elbow, SK → Batoche National Historic Site
📅 July 13–18, 2027 (tentative)
Six days down the South Saskatchewan through Saskatoon, finishing at Batoche during Back to Batoche Days. Organized by Lorraine Johnston-MacKay with Métis and First Nations partners, river municipalities and the Saskatoon Canoe Club. Registration will open once the route is set; CVBS membership is part of registration.
Fort Langley Brigade
Fort Langley, British Columbia
📅 August 15–20, 2027 (tentative)
A historic voyage in conjunction with the Fort’s 200th anniversary. Crew registration, route details and canoe requirements will be posted as planning progresses.
2026 Brigades
Three journeys this season — registration is now closed. Thank you to everyone who paddled.
Peace River Brigade 2026
Clayhurst Bridge, BC → Peace River, AB
📅 Summer 2026 · 8 voyageur canoes · ~10 paddlers each
A multi-day paddling expedition along one of Canada’s great northern rivers, rooted in big-canoe heritage and shared adventure.
View details →Chief Pinesi Paddle 2026
Gatineau → Kahnawake · Ottawa River
📅 July 5–10, 2026 · 180 km · 3 big canoes
A 6-day journey of reconciliation linking Anishinabe and Haudenosaunee nations along the historic Ottawa River.
View details →Balsam Lake Centennial
Balsam Lake, Ontario
📅 July 18–19, 2026 · Public big-canoe sessions
Commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Balsam Lake tragedy — open-to-public sessions in big voyageur canoes.
View details →What we do
Four pillars that drive every CVBS brigade.
Connect paddlers
Linking big-canoe enthusiasts with crews, routes, and adventures across Canada — from first-timers to seasoned crew captains.
Share knowledge
Providing safety plans, budgets, logistics guides, and paddling resources from 15+ years of brigade experience, freely available to future organizers.
Support reconciliation
Promoting cultural cooperation and water stewardship alongside Indigenous communities through our brigades and the relationships they build.
Fund future brigades
Offering grants, insurance, and registration support to organizers planning new brigades or launching big-canoe paddling programs.
A tradition carried on open water.
The Canadian Voyageur Brigade Society grew from the 2008 David Thompson Brigade — a landmark expedition that proved big-canoe journeys could still unite paddlers, communities, and cultures across vast Canadian distances.
Since then, we’ve supported more than 20 brigades from the Peace River to Cape Breton, the Ottawa to the Okanagan, touching nearly every corner of Canada. Each journey follows in the wake of the historical voyageurs — celebrating the people, the waterways, and the spirit of shared effort that shaped this country.
We’re not a club. We’re a network of paddlers, organizers, Indigenous communities, and history-lovers keeping the voyageur spirit alive for the next generation.
Read our full story →
Voices from the water
From paddlers who have made the journey. (Replace these with real quotes from your community.)
“Paddling together in a voyageur canoe creates a bond you can’t explain — you have to experience it. The CVBS makes that possible for paddlers all across Canada.”
— A CVBS Paddler“There is nothing quite like pulling your paddle through the water in a big canoe, following the same routes the historical voyageurs travelled centuries ago.”
— A Crew Captain“Our brigade brought together people from five provinces and two Indigenous nations. By the last day, we were one crew. That’s what CVBS builds.”
— A Brigade OrganizerLife on the Water
Moments from CVBS brigades across Canada.
Ready to pick up a paddle?
Whether you’re an experienced crew captain organizing a multi-day expedition or a first-time big-canoe paddler looking for an adventure, there’s a place for you in the CVBS network.