Manitoba School for the Deaf (MSD)

Youth Canada Tournament for the Deaf (YCTD)

The Youth Canada Tournament of the Deaf (YCTD) was established in 1983 by staff at the Alberta School for the Deaf to promote excellence in education, culture, recreation, and sport among Deaf youth across Canada. What began with the four western provinces has since grown into a national event, welcoming participants from coast to coast.

Hosted by a different province every three years, YCTD brings together Deaf students to connect, compete, and celebrate their shared identity. The Manitoba School for the Deaf (MSD) has proudly participated in every tournament and has hosted the event on several occasions.

Throughout this week-long event, students take part in a variety of activities, including volleyball, dodgeball, S.T.E.A.M. and board games, along with leadership, arts, cultural, and academic programming. Participants also have the opportunity to explore and experience local sightseeing in the host city.

YCTD is more than a tournament—it is an opportunity for Deaf youth to build lasting connections, share their culture, and develop a strong sense of pride and community that extends far beyond the event itself.

Our most recent travel experiences include a visit to the Ernest C. Drury School for the Deaf in Milton in May 2024, which also featured a sightseeing excursion to Niagara Falls. Afterwards, MSD travelled to Toronto which provided many educational and life experiences found in the metropolis.

Previously, in May 2017, students visited the Alberta School for the Deaf in Edmonton. Afterwards, MSD had the opportunity for educational field trips to Banff, Drumheller, and Calgary.

The next host is Vancouver, B.C. in May 2027. The students are eagerly awaiting the tournament and have already begun practicing their various events. They are looking forward to all the fun, camaraderie and learning that takes place during these trips.

The Western Canada Tournament was originated by the staff at the Alberta School for the Deaf on May 12, 1983 in an effort to promote excellence, enjoyment for education, culture, recreation and sports among the four western provincial schools for the Deaf.

• BC School for the Deaf (formerly Jericho Hill School for the Deaf)
• Alberta School for the Deaf
• Saskatchewan School for the Deaf (R.J.D. Williams School for the Deaf)
• Manitoba School for the Deaf

The first tournament at Alberta School for the Deaf was for only a weekend (May 12-14, 1983) and had 128 students participating. There were events like soccer, volleyball, academic quiz, and the Miss Deaf Teen Pageant.

The tournament was very successful and expanded from a weekend to a week. The four Western schools hosted tournaments every few years until 2001 when it was decided to open the tournament to the Eastern deaf schools. This necessitated a change from Western Canada Tournament of the Deaf to Youth Canada Tournament of the Deaf.

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YCTD/WCTD Host schools

1983 - Alberta School for the Deaf - Edmonton
1985 - RJD Williams School for the Deaf - Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
1987 - Jericho Hill School for the Deaf - Vancouver, British Columbia
1989 – Manitoba School for the Deaf
1992 - Alberta School for the Deaf
1995 - Manitoba School for the Deaf
1998 - British Columbia School for the Deaf - Burnaby, B.C.
2001- Alberta School for the Deaf
2003 – Ernest C. Drury School for the Deaf - Milton, Ontario
2006 – British Columbia School for the Deaf
2010- Sir James Whitney School for the Deaf - Belleville, Ontario
2013- Manitoba School for the Deaf
2017 - Alberta School for the Deaf
2024- Ernest C. Drury School for the Deaf - Milton, Ontario
2027 - British Columbia School for the Deaf - Burnaby, B.C.