Pickleball BC (“PBC”) Announces $500 “Matching” Subsidy Program For 2026 BC Sanctioned Tournaments

New $500 “Matching” Subsidy Program for BC Sanctioned Tournaments to utilize PBC-accredited referees. This photo was from the July 2025 Sanctioned BC Provincial Championships in Vernon, showing Maggie Murch (wearing blue) with Armaan Jiwa Mawji in the Mixed Doubles (5.0 And Above), Age (13 To 49), where they finished with gold medals.

March 16th 2026, Vancouver, BC—PBC is pleased to announce a new $500 “Matching” Subsidy Program for 2026 BC Sanctioned Tournaments, complementing the existing subsidy provided by Pickleball Canada (“PCO”). This initiative is to enable tournaments cover referee expenses and support the use of PBC-accredited referees for every match, enhancing the overall tournament experience for players across British Columbia in Sanctioned Tournaments.

The PBC Board of Directors has approved this Subsidy Program in addition to the PCO Subsidy for BC Sanctioned Tournaments. The Program is to encourage these tournaments to have PBC accredited referees for every match played that our PBC members have requested to improve the overall experience of tournament play. This initiative would be conditional on several requirements as outlined in the PCO subsidy program plus our conditions that the PBC $500 goes towards referee expenses in the specific Sanctioned Tournament.

This subsidy process would include:

• Following an application to [email protected] to request that a BC tournament be “Sanctioned” and a letter of approval from PBC supplied; Sanctioning is outlined in more detail here
• An application and required approval from PCO to Sanction the tournament
• A report from the Tournament Director would be completed as is required by PCO but including the use and application of the BC Subsidy particularly for referees
• Then both the PCO and PBC Subsidies would be paid amounting to $1,000

More details to follow so stay tuned!

According to PBC President David Snell: “Having an accredited PBC referee to call your match has numerous advantages such as but not limited to: ensures fair and accurate calls; matches run efficiently and players can concentrate on their game, not the rules or scoring; and official rules are enforced. Moreover, let our accredited referees do the heavy lifting with respect to rule enforcement and scoring, while you concentrate on the other important ingredient – your game!”

For more information, contact:
David Snell, PBC President
[email protected]