About us – A History of the SCRC in Canada
It was in the early spring of 1999 that John Payne first became aware of the Southern Cruisers. While browsing the internet he came across a link to a riding club called The Southern Cruisers Riding Club. John was immediately struck by their simple approach to what riding as a club was all about. The emphasis on riding and the lack of rules and regulations or the need for meetings or commitments of any kind sounded like just the thing John was looking for. He was already a member of a club which had more than enough rules and regulations and felt it was definitely time for a change.
There was and is a simple process to apply for membership online and as there were no dues or any other form of payment required, John figured he had nothing to lose. In about 3 days he received an email welcoming him to the Club and informing him that he was the first Canadian to have joined and was given a “Member at Large” ID number and with that, the Southern Cruisers Riding Club became established in Canada.
John quickly went on to establish a chapter and on May 3rd 1999 the first Canadian SCRC chapter, Chapter 57 Burlington, was born with John as it’s 1st Officer. It didn’t take long for the SCRC in Canada to grow as by early spring of 2000, Kurt Wulf had opened our second chapter, 209 Orangeville. Our third, 238 Niagara, was opened by Mike Riddick followed shortly by Chapter 261 Durham opened by Bruno Marchese. By the summer of 2000, just one short year, the club had grown from an idea to 4 very active chapters.
It was clear that the philosophy of the Club; no dues, no meetings and no commitments of any kind had struck a chord with bikers everywhere and our membership continued to grow with Chapter 262 in London, under Mike Cuff, Chapter 270 in Kitchener under Manish Patel and Chapter 328 in Barrie, all joining in 2001. John believed that this was an idea that even more riders would enjoy and set up a booth at the International Motorcycle Supershow in January 2002. Within a few weeks, Mike Langevin had opened Chapter 298 in Newmarket. Shortly after that, and after a few previously unsuccessful attempts by others, Billy Rankin successfully opened Chapter 383 Toronto. A high point of the year was when Wes Brander opened our first chapter in Quebec, Chapter 354 Montreal, in November. We were now ten chapters in only three years. The following year, 2003, saw similar growth when Bill McKiernan opened Chapter 373 Peel in March, Rick Hill opened Chapter 329 Brantford and in August, another first when Linda Maracle became our first female 1st Officer when she opened Chapter 236 Quinte. While all of this was happening, John had been looking after all of our Canadian affairs and in early 2004 became our Regional Officer for Eastern Canada.
The growth of the SCRC in Canada continued through 2004 with the formation of Chapter 418 in Sudbury under Butch “Bulldog” Ouimette in April, Chapter 399 Norfolk under Bruce Scheel in June, Chapter 334 Windsor under Louise Emery in July and Chapter 437 Ottawa under Gerry “LoonStar” Goulet in October. We also saw the start up of our second chapter in Quebec, Chapter 281 under André Gosselin and later that year Chapter 460 La Sarre Abitibi under Rémi Lavoie. We thought we were doing great, but our presence at the International Motorcycle Supershow continued to both surprise and amaze us and it became obvious to John that he needed help. In February of 2005 John requested and was given approval for the new position of Ontario Provincial Officer and at our annual Officers meeting in 2005, announced that Mike Langevin would be leaving his position as 1st Officer of Newmarket to become our first Ontario Provincial Officer. Chapter growth continued with three more new chapters in 2005. In February that year, Chapter 238 Niagara divided the Niagara Peninsula giving birth to Chapter 129 Erie Shores under Denis Martineau. In July, Chapter 464 North Halton under Dave “Crockett” Cameron was formed and late in 2005, the Chapter 270 Kitchener had grown so large they spun off Chapter 501, Cambridge/Guelph under Reg Green.
In the spring of 2006, after 7 years of commitment and dedication to the growth of the club in Canada, John felt it was time for a well-deserved rest and announced his retirement at the annual Officer’s meeting. With John’s retirement, Mike Langevin, who had progressed from the 1st Officer of Newmarket to the Ontario Provincial Officer took on the role of Regional Officer of Eastern Canada. Bill McKiernan stepped down as 1st Officer of Peel to become our Ontario Provincial Officer. Also that year, Laurie Johnson took on the new position of Quebec Provincial Officer. While John had passed the torch, he continues to this day as an active member of the chapter he formed in 1999.
In 2007, Chapter 11 Hamilton, which had been unsuccessful in a previous attempt, became our 23rd Chapter under Jim Marlor. 2008 saw three new chapters in Quebec, Chapter 30 Val d’Or, Chapter 140 Brome Missisquoi and Chapter 515 Amos becoming our 24th, 25th, and 26th chapters in only ten years. At our Officers meeting that year, it was announced that Mike Riddick had left his position of 1st Officer of Niagara to take on the role of Assistant Ontario Provincial Officer.
Our chapters met and rode with each other, our members went on road trips with each other, we ate together and we played together and we continued to spread the idea and grow. In 2009, Chapter 453 Rouyn-Noranda and Chapter 523 Orillia joined us and at our Officers meeting that year, our Ontario Provincial Officer, Bill McKiernan, announced his retired and was replaced by Mike Riddick. Growth in 2010 brought us Chapter 417 St. Jean sur Richelieu under Serge Gérard. Growth in 2011 brought us Chapter 553 Lac Megantic under Steve Duquette and 2012 brought us Chapter 565 Nottawasaga Bay under Bruce Leslie. During this period, Lauri Johnson, our Quebec Provincial Officer stepped down and was replaced by Yves LeDoc in 2009 and in 2011, Butch Ouimette left his position as 1st Officer of Chapter 418 Sudbury to become our Assistant Ontario Provincial Officer.
At our Officer’s meeting in spring of 2013, Mike Langevin, who had been our Regional Officer for Eastern Canada since 2006, announced his retirement and the appointment of Mike Riddick to the new position of Canadian Regional Officer and Butch “Bulldog” Ouimette as our Ontario Provincial Officer. Paul “Too Tall” Devitt left his position of 1st Officer of Chapter 238 Niagara to become the Assistant Ontario Provincial Officer.
Shortly after the 2013 Officer’s meeting, Chapter 488 French River under Denis Dupuis, joined the club. In 2014, we then welcomed Chapter 224 Sherbrooke under David Sarasin and in 2015, Chapter 233 Timmins under Pete Henry. Later that year came Chapter 420 Levis under Claude Thibault and Chapter 680 Oakville under Kevin Black. We were now 36 chapters and still growing. Yves LeDoc retired in 2014 and was replaced by Mark Brooker as the new Quebec Provincial Officer. With continued growth in 2016, Dennis “Te Bear” Budgen left his position as 1st Officer of Chapter 281 Varennes to become our Assistant Quebec Provincial Officer and due to the growing number of chapters, Butch Ouimette moved to the newly created position of Assistant Canadian Regional Officer and Paul Devitt to Ontario Provincial Officer. Still growing, 2017 saw four more chapters joining the Southern Cruisers Family. Chapter 698 St. Jerome Laurentides under Kyriacos Kyriacou in January, Chapter 710 Thousand Islands under Robert Cook in April, Chapter 726 Stratford under Dan Wagler in June and Chapter 596 North Bay under Ryan Miller in October. 2017 also saw the retirement of Mark Brooker who was replaced by Dennis Budgen and Pat Roy being appointed Assistant Quebec Provincial Officer. In Ontario, Doug “Chooch” McNamee left his position of 1st Officer of chapter 57 Burlington to take on the role of Assistant Ontario Provincial Officer.
The following year, 2018, showed no sign of slowing down with Chapter 730 Vaudreuil Soulanges under Robert Walsh joining us in February and Chapter 731 Cornwall under Jay Roberts in March, becoming our 41st and 42nd chapters. At our annual Officer’s meeting in April, it was again time for a change. Mike Riddick, who had been in a leadership role for 18 years announced that it was time to retire. With that, Butch “Bulldog” Ouimette, who had become our Assistant Canadian Regional Officer then became our Canadian Regional Officer with Paul “Too Tall” Devitt moving from Ontario Provincial Officer to Assistant Canadian Regional Officer and Doug “Chooch” McNamee became our new Ontario Provincial Officer. With these moves creating a vacancy, Mike “Jimmy G” Garrison, 1st Officer of Chapter 57 Burlington, became our Assistant Ontario Provincial Officer. It was also agreed that with the continuing growth we were experiencing we would need a Canadian Regional Secretary and were happy to announce that Jenn Whitford had accepted that position shortly after the Officer’s meeting.
Our annual Officer’s Meeting in spring of 2019 saw additional changes with the retirement of Butch Ouimette. Butch had served as the 1st Officer and founding member of Chapter 418, Assistant Ontario Provincial Officer, Ontario Provincial Officer, Assistant Canadian Regional Officer and Canadian Regional Officer. He announced that Paul “Too Tall” Devitt would become the new Canadian Regional Officer. While Butch had retired from this position, he wasn’t leaving, as he accepted a 3 year assignment to the Board of Directors for the Southern Cruisers Riding Club. Additionally, Doug McNamee announced the addition of a second Assistant Ontario Provincial Officer, 1st Officer of Chapter 383 Toronto Joe “Rainman” Stapleton. Things were moving right along and in the right direction and in 2019, the SCRC quietly celebrated 20 years in Canada. We were a club of 42 Chapters and still growing.
In February 2020, Chapter 163 Laval under Danny MacLean became active and after several unsuccessful attempts, our first western Chapter 353 Winnipeg under Ross Roteliuk joined. We had been attempting to gain membership in our western provinces with little success and the Winnipeg chapter was a welcome addition to our family.
The following year saw continued growth with Chapter 94 Plaisance – La Petite Nation under Sylvain Fugere in February 2021. In August of that year, Kurt Wulf, our longest serving 1st Officer, moved from Orangeville to Havelock and started Chapter 249, and days later Chapter 426 under Warren Brophy became our first chapter in Newfoundland-Labrador.
In April, 2022, two new chapters opened in Ontario. Chapter 307 Central Muskoka under Paul Belaskie and Chapter 137 Kawartha Lakes under Nancy Harris. In August, 2022, New Brunswick Chapter 495 was opened by Paul Mangion.
At our annual Officers Meeting in the spring of 2023, it was again time for more changes. After 22 years in a leadership role, including 4 years as Canadian Regional Officer, Paul “Too Tall” Devitt announced that he was retiring. Doug “Chooch” McNamee would become the new Canadian Regional Officer with Mike “Jimmy G” Garrison becoming the Assistant Canadian Regional Officer. Joe “Rainman” Stapleton became the Ontario Provincial Officer and Dennis “Te Bear” Budgen continued as Quebec Provincial Officer. The Assistant Ontario Provincial Officer position was filled by current Canadian Regional Secretary Jenn Whitford and Donna Woiceshyn then accepted the now vacant position of Canadian Regional Secretary.
2024 came along with the creation Chapter 312 Chatham/Kent under Jeremy Landon and Chapter 095 Tofield, Alberta under Quentin Potter, bringing our total to 52 Chapters since inception and an active 47 as of 2025, with a few Chapters shutting down over the years. Joe Stapleton stepped down September 2024 with Jenn Whitford then becoming our first female Provincial Officer for Ontario. At the same time, Chris Gill left his 1st Officer role of Chapter 399 Norfolk to become the Assistant Ontario Provincial Officer. We rolled into 2025 with Dennis “Te Bear” Budgen retiring and being replaced by Mark Brooker, for his second term as Quebec Provincial Officer. Towards the end of 2025, SCRC Canada was pleased to announce Kerry ‘Joker’ McClelland as our new East/West Coast Provincial Officer to help support and foster growth in those areas.
The history of the SCRC in Canada also included an International connection when Doug “Chooch” McNamee became a BOD member for three years startig in 2011, then Assistant Chair for 1 year in 2014, followed by the position of Chairman of the Board of Directors for the SCRC worldwide, from 2015 to 2023. Other Canadian Officers have held roles with ‘National’ and continue to serve the BOD to this day.
Our Canadian SCRC chapters are not fictional nor are they deemed “anticipated growth”. They are existing, organized, active and functional groups that are all part of the worldwide family of chapters. We are without doubt Canadian, but we’re also proud to be part of a much bigger organization with much bigger benefits. Whether you’re planning a trip to Bike Week in Florida in January, Americade and/or Laconia in June or Sturgis in August, you can look up a local chapter or several chapters along your route, make contact and expect to be welcomed by any of our members, nation wide, and feel at home with them the moment you arrive.
Currently, there are 50 active SCRC Chapters across Canada with approximately 5,000 Canadian members. Worldwide membership of over 25,000 with 721 Chapters including: USA, Canada, Australia, Belgium, Czech Republic, England, Germany, Korea, Poland, Sweden and Switzerland to name a few. The fellowship and joy of riding combined with the “Keep it Simple” philosophy of the SCRC will continue to make this club the success that it is in the years to come