The Canadian Sport Parachuting Association (CSPA), through affiliation with the Aero Club of Canada (ACC), is Canada's representative to the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI), and the International Parachute Commission (IPC), and is thereby the official sport organization for sport parachuting in Canada.
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Objectives
The primary objective of the CSPA is to promote safe, enjoyable sport parachuting through cooperation and adherence to self-imposed rules and recommendations.
This means skydivers and skydiving companies that wish to be members of the CSPA have to adhere to established Basic Safety Rules throughout their parachuting career. Such Rules include minimum opening altitudes for certain levels of experience; mandatory equipment; clear weather conditions for jumping, reserve repack due dates, general operational requirements and so on. These Basic Safety Rules greatly reduce the risk of accidents for individual skydivers, skydiving companies, and the sport as a whole. A Canadian Drop Zone must adhere to all of these safety rules if it wants to be a member of the CSPA.
The CSPA has other initiatives to promote overall safety such as recommended procedures and instructor qualification requirements. A Canadian skydiver starts off with a solo license, then progresses onward to their A, B, C, and D license. The CSPA requires that each skydiver keep a log of every jump signed by another jumper and submit that log book to acquire these qualifications. For example, to get a B License you have to be able to perform certain maneuvers and have 50 skydives which are all documented in the submitted logbook. Without this sort of basic proof skydivers would have no idea how many jumps they have done and could embellish experience levels. This was a very big risk before but through the proper establishment of documentation procedures, proof of a skydivers experience is easily attainable preventing inexperienced instructors to take the lead.
The CSPA continually updates all programs and initiatives to adapt to increasing incidents and changes in technology. Each skydiver and skydiving company who are members must implement all changes to remain members.
Not all Canadian Drop Zones are members of the CSPA and therefore do not adhere to safety procedures set out by the CSPA.
Organization
CSPA is made up of individual and group members. There are six National Directors that are elected to govern the affairs of the CSPA; they compose the Board of Directors.
National Office Staff: Executive Director: Michelle Matte-Stotyn Executive Secretary: Judy Renaud
There are several committees and officers that assist the Board in governing the association.