Canada-Wide Science Fair

Youth Science Canada

Headquarters	Pickering, Ontario
Location	Canada
Official language	English, French
Executive Director	Brad McCabe
Website	http://www.youthscience.ca/

The Canada-Wide Science Fair (CWSF) is an annual science fair in Canada coordinated by Youth Science Canada. Started in 1962, it is the highest level of competition in Canada, and approximately 400 projects and 500 students are judged at the fair. Finalists must qualify from approximately 25,000 competitors at over 100 regional science fairs (or, in the province of Quebec, the provincial science fair) throughout Canada.

Competition is split into three age categories: Junior for grades 7 and 8, Intermediate for grades 9 and 10, and Senior for grades 11 and 12.

The Canada-Wide Science Fair is an opportunity for students to showcase their scientific achievements alongside fellow students who share a similar passion for science and technology. In order to be able to participate at the CWSF, students need to first compete at their regional science fairs. Only those selected few who attain top positions at their regional science fairs will be eligible to compete at the CWSF. The Canada-Wide Science Fair is a 7-9 day event. Students travel with their respective regional representatives to the designated location (listed below). Throughout the week, they not only engage in the judging process, but they are also given the opportunity to meet other young scientists from across Canada. They partake in a number of excursions in the region that the CWSF takes place in, and thus, the CWSF provides just the right mix of education and recreation.

The Canada-Wide Science Fair has been held every year since 1962. Regional Science Fairs apply to host the event 3 years in advance.

History

The First Canada-Wide Science Fair was held May 11 and 12, 1962 at the Science Building at Carleton University in Ottawa. The announcement was made jointly by Dr Heart Pavre, President of the Canadian Science Fair Council and Air Vice Marshal R.E. McBurney, Chairman of the Fair. Dr. Andrew Stewart, chairman of the Board of Broadcast Corporation officially opened the fair by "dialing" a ribbon cut electronically; He dialled a series of numbers, the numbers were flashed to a computer which later activated a pair of scissors to cut the ribbon. In 1962, the fair was co-sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Ottawa Incorporated. The initial Headquarters for the Canadian Science Fairs Council was 45 Rideau Street, Ottawa. The two-day science fair was made up of 45 exhibits of regional winners from secondary school fairs across the country; the students came from as far west as Calgary and as far east as Montreal.

Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (Intel ISEF)

Several competitors and winners from the Canada-Wide Science Fair have been selected for competition at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair as part of Team Canada, among them inventors Ann Makosinski and Alex Deans. Past Canada-Wide Science Fair winners Raymond Wang and Austin Wang both from Vancouver, BC, won the Gordon E. Moore award at Intel ISEF in 2015 and 2016, respectively.

Awards

Almost $1 million in awards and scholarships is given out each year at the Canada-Wide Science Fair.

The Canada-Wide Science Fair was previously sponsored by Blackberry until 2013. CWSF's largest awards are the Platinum Awards for the best project in each age division (Junior, Intermediate, and Senior). The Junior and Intermediate grand winners receive $1,000 while the Senior winner receives $2,500 as the best project. All grand award winners first receive a gold medal. Other awards include silver and bronze medals, as well as numerous special awards. Challenge awards are also offered for the best project in each category for the age division. Therefore, each category will have three best-in-category winners.

Host Cities

Below is a list of host cities of the Canada Wide Science Fair.

Year	City	Province	Regions	Projects	Finalists
2017	Regina	SK
2016	Montreal	QC	104	420	485
2015	Fredericton	NB	101	402	469
2014	Windsor	ON	100	381	462
2013	Lethbridge	AB	100	400	481
2012	Charlottetown	PE	103	402	489
2011	Toronto	ON	99	425	509
2010	Peterborough	ON	102	407	494
2009	Winnipeg	MB	102	387	474
2008	Ottawa	ON	102	386	478
2007	Truro	NS	98	369	459
2006	Saguenay	QC	99	369	455
2005	Vancouver	BC	98	384	479
2004	St. John's	NL	96	375	483
2003	Calgary	AB	90	362	465
2002	Saskatoon	SK	89	336	447
2001	Kingston	ON	91	345	431
2000	London	ON	95	341	437
1999	Edmonton	AB	99	328	427
1998	Timmins	ON	98	318	443
1997	Regina	SK	93	315	411
1996	North Bay	ON	103	331	423
1995	Whitehorse	YT	102	317	393
1994	Guelph	ON	102	307	410
1993	Rivière-du-Loup	QC	106	299	399
1992	Sudbury	ON	103	298	387
1991	Vancouver	BC	102	297	383
1990	Windsor	ON	99	310	411
1989	St. John's	NL	94	311	377
1988	Winnipeg	MB	92	308	396
1987	Mississauga	ON	85	297	376
1986	Calgary	AB	71	302	374
1985	Cornwall	ON	68	272	321
1984	Halifax	NS	67	262	314
1983	Saskatoon	SK	61	188	230
1982	Toronto	ON	56	196	248
1981	Waterloo	ON	52	186	236
1980	Thompson	MB	51	170	236
1979	London	ON	50	171	220
1978	Sudbury	ON	55	165	182
1977	Victoria	BC	51	137	168
1976	Brandon	MB	47	124	163
1975	Jonquière	QC	48	134	187
1974	Calgary	AB	42	112	147
1973	Thunder Bay	ON	38	100	124
1972	Sarnia	ON	38	96	110
1971	Edmonton	AB	34	85	85
1970	Hamilton	ON	38	91	91
1969	Regina	SK	30	64	64
1968	Vancouver	BC	28	68	68
1967	Québec	QC	28	72	73
1966	Windsor	ON	26	74	74
1965	Winnipeg	MB	26	68	68
1964	Montréal	QC	22	60	60
1963	Toronto	ON	18	53	54
1962	Ottawa	ON	12	45	45

External links

• Official website
• Youth Science Canada