Who We Are | What We Do

National President:
Rear Admiral (Retired) Ken Summers
Victoria, BC

Who We Are - History

The Naval Officers' Association of Canada (NOAC) was founded at the end of WWII by returning Voluntary Reservists (RCNVRs) to maintain the friendships which service at war had fostered and to promote a strong and modern Naval Service.

In 1950 the National Association was incorporated under Letters Patent issued by the Secretary of State for Canada with a set of objectives which include the following:

• To promote and maintain interest in naval affairs generally and particularly in the welfare and development of the Canadian Naval Forces;
• To cooperate with other organizations having objects wholly or in part the same as or similar to the objects of NOAC.

NOAC is a federation of semi-autonomous Branches situated across Canada. There is an umbrella national organization with a Board of Directors which consists of an elected President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and Counsel. The other Directors are elected by individual Branches to serve on the board as representatives of the Branch.

The National Office is in Ottawa, ON and the day to day operations of the Association are conducted by an Executive Director who is also the National Secretary.

Branches

The member Branches (those with their own web pages are highlighted and linked) are:

What Do We Do

As a defence association, the NOAC promotes national awareness of Canada as a maritime nation with vital interests in our three oceans. It further promotes a comprehensive Canadian maritime security policy and strategy for the protection of Canada and for the execution of Canadian foreign policy. These objectives are pursued in co-operation with like minded associations through seminars, publications, speaking engagements, media commentary, public meetings and individual responses to queries.

The NOAC takes a leading role in promoting the Naval Reserve as a integral part of naval forces in being. It is supportive of The Navy League of Canada and its Royal Canadian Sea Cadet and Navy League Cadet programmes, The Maritime Awards Society of Canada which provides scholarships at the post graduate level in maritime studies, and works with the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Society (ALS) in national fund raising. The NOAC led in the founding of the Canadian Naval Memorial Trust HMCS Sackville which is berthed permanently in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

The Association publishes STARSHELL, its national Newsletter on a quarterly basis. Most Branches also publish regular newsletters.

In addition individual Branches do good works in a variety of ways at the local level. The NOAC operates as a Band of Brothers Network which stimulates the fraternal aspect of the Association and on the serious side pools the enormous talent resident in the membership.

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NOAC Membership

Individuals become members of Branches and each Branch has its own requirements for eligibility. Generally speaking the categories of membership are as follows:

• Regular Membership is open to serving and retired officers of the regular and reserve components of the Canadian Navy, merchant service officers, as well as officers of Commonwealth and foreign navies. This includes officers who have a maritime air background.
• Associate Membership is open to any person who shares the aims and objectives of the Association.

Membership dues vary by Branch. Many Branches have reduced rates for members residing more than about 40 km from the Branch.

If you wish to find out more on membership, contact Ken Lait,  the Executive Director NOAC at:

Tel: 1 (613) 841-4358 
E-Mail:

Or you can write to him at the following address:
           308 Kennedy Lane East, Orleans, K1E 3M4

Or you can complete and submit the form below and your request will be forwarded to the Branch selected. Please include your email address.

Contacting the NOAC

On questions relating to the NOAC in general, the contents of this website or concerning membership, please contact