The Canadian track and field community is reeling following McGill University’s unexpected decision to discontinue its varsity Track & Field program, one of the oldest and most storied in the country. The announcement, made late last week by McGill Athletics and Recreation, has sent shockwaves across the nation, leaving student-athletes, coaches, alumni, and supporters scrambling for answers.
For the Ottawa Lions Track and Field Club, the impact is immediate and deeply felt.
A number of current Lions are rostered at McGill, many of whom made the university their academic and athletic home specifically because of its strong tradition in the sport. That pathway now stands on uncertain ground. Beyond individual athletes, the decision jeopardizes a key piece of infrastructure in the national athletics landscape: McGill’s Tomlinson Fieldhouse, home to one of only three banked indoor 200-metre tracks in Canada.
For decades, this venue has served as a critical competition hub in Quebec and an indispensable development stop for athletes from across the country, including Lions athletes.
A Decision That Shocked a Community
In its brief announcement, McGill encouraged students to explore club sport opportunities through the Student Society of McGill University (SSMU) or the Macdonald Campus Student Society (MCSS), while noting that intramurals and recreational programming would continue. But for athletes competing at the varsity level, the implications are far more complex: the loss of structured coaching, national-level competition, support services, and the prestige that comes with varsity recognition.
The suddenness of the move has fueled frustration across the community. According to the team’s Change.org petition – launched within hours of the announcement – students, alumni, and supporters were not included as part of the University’s stakeholder consultations that ultimately fueled the decision to cut the program.
“For 125 years, Track & Field has been a foundational part of McGill University’s athletic and academic identity… Dismantling it represents not only the erasure of an important chapter of McGill’s history but also a significant departure from the university’s stated commitments to excellence, student development, and community engagement.”
Within days, the petition surpassed 8,000 verified signatures, reflecting broad national concern about the precedent such a move could set for university sport in Canada.
A Legacy Worth Protecting
Since its founding in the late 19th century, the track and field team at McGill has produced Olympians, national team members, provincial champions, and leaders across academia and industry. The program has operated for 125 consecutive seasons, longer than nearly every modern varsity athletics structure in Canada.
The Tomlinson Fieldhouse itself has hosted countless personal bests, provincial records, national-level meets, and U SPORTS qualifiers. Many of Ottawa’s top developing athletes have competed on that banked curve at critical stages of their careers.
To lose track and field at McGill is not simply to lose a team; it is to lose a pillar of the sport’s national ecosystem.
Impact on Ottawa Lions Athletes
Several Lions currently training and studying at McGill now face an uncertain competitive future. For these athletes, the varsity program is more than a team: it is a community, a source of logistical and academic support, and a structured pathway for competing at the collegiate level.
“Decisions like this ripple far beyond one campus,” said Ottawa Lions head coach Richard Johnston. “They disrupt athlete development and weaken the national infrastructure we all rely on. We stand firmly with our athletes at McGill and with everyone pushing for this decision to be reconsidered.”
The Lions have historically maintained strong ties with McGill, sending athletes to compete there each winter and supporting its long-standing contribution to the sport. Many in the club see the decision not only as a loss for McGill but as a setback for Canadian athletics as a whole.
A Call for Transparency and Reinstatement
At the heart of the petition is a clear request: that McGill provide a full, transparent explanation, supported by data and analysis, outlining how the decision was reached. Petition organizers emphasize the need for an open dialogue that includes athletes, coaches, alumni, and community partners.
“Such discussions could reveal alternative ways of addressing the concerns motivating this decision without dismantling a historic and cherished program,” the petition states.
This message resonates strongly with the Ottawa Lions, who recognize that varsity track and field programs are essential to athlete development, coach education, facility access, and the competitive ecosystem across Canada.
Ottawa Lions’ Message: We Stand With You
The Ottawa Lions Track and Field Club extends full support to the athletes, coaches, and alumni of McGill Track & Field as they advocate for reinstatement of the program. We urge all members of the Canadian athletics community, both past and present, to lend their voices, sign the petition, and amplify the importance of keeping varsity track and field at McGill.
A program that has shaped generations, anchored a central facility in the national landscape, and supported the development of countless student-athletes deserves better than to be quietly discontinued.
Track and field in Canada is stronger when institutions like McGill remain engaged partners. It is stronger when student-athletes are supported, not sidelined. And it is stronger when historic programs continue to thrive, not vanish overnight.
Readers who want to stand with the athletes, coaches, and alumni of McGill Track & Field are encouraged to sign the reinstatement petition: https://www.change.org/p/reinstate-mcgill-s-varsity-track-field-team.
