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The first Canadian Open Pairs Championship was held in 1985. Originally Canadian Olympiad Fund games and ACBL International Fund games were used as club qualifying games along with special games held only in September at Canadian clubs.
The event was then developed further with a three month club qualifying period and Unit Finals. Most Canadian Open Pairs Championship finals were held at Regionals in Canada and each year they were held in a different Zone so that the Championship moved around the country.
The first prizes for winning were subsidized trips to tournaments in other countries. When a pairs event was added to the 1994 World Championships, the CBF began to use the Canadian Open Pairs Championship as a means of qualifying four subsidized pairs to the World Open Pairs Championships.
In 1995 the CBF changed the Unit Final into a playoff for subsidy only - this allowed players who had qualified in the club to still advance to the National Final without qualifying in their Unit Final.
Turnout at the National Final kept declining so in 1996 the CBF made the decision to hold the COPC National Final in conjunction with the CNTC National Final. Beginning in 1998 Unit Finals were totally eliminated and an extra month of club qualifying games was added. Also in 1998 the CBF began offering cash prizes to the winners since the WBF had opened the World Open Pairs Championships to more players.
With the start of Canadian Bridge Week in 1998, all three major Canadian Championships were now held at one time and players qualifying for the CNTC or CWTC were also awarded qualification to the COPC. Cash prizes have continued since 1998 but the CBF is currently looking at the possibility of going back to awarding a trip to a prestigious international tournament as the prize for winning the COPC.
Year Winners Runner-Ups Location 1985 Boris Baran, Mark Molson Winnipeg, Manitoba 1986 Gary Whiteman, Ken Warren Toronto - (Note: The winners represented Canada in three European Tournaments.) 1987 Maurice de la Salle, Mark Chalfin Edmonton - (Note: The event was sponsored by Air Canada and winners received plane tickets to anywhere Air Canada flew.) 1988 John Valliant, David Willis Quebec City - (Note: The winners were selected to represent Canada in Open Pairs at 1990 World Championships.) 1989 Ron Borg, Michael Strebinger Toronto - (Note: The winners were selected to represent Canada in Open Pairs at 1990 World Championships.) 1990 Katie Thorpe, John Carruthers Toronto - (Note: The winners represented Canada in Open Pairs at the 1990 World Championships.) 1991 Michael Cafferata, Ken Warren Toronto - (Note: The winners represented Canada in Open Pairs at the 1994 World Championships.) 1992 Pierre Treuil, John Zaluski Halifax - (Note: The winners represented Canada in Open Pairs at the 1994 World Championships.) 1993 Pierre Treuil, John Zaluski Ottawa - (Note: The winners represented Canada in Open Pairs at the 1994 World Championships.) 1994 Dick Anderson, Peter Basarsky Vancouver - (Note: The winners represented Canada in Open Pairs at the 1994 World Championships.) 1995 Jim Reigle, Pierre Treuil Toronto - (Note: The winners received a cash prize.) 1996 Dave Willis, John Valliant Nicolas L’Ecuyer, Darren Wolpert Saskatoon - (Note: First and Second Place winners received a cash prize.) 1997 Michael Betts, Randy Bennett Felipe Hernandez, Michael Neagu Vancouver - (Note: First and Second Place winners received a cash prize.) 1998 Douglas Heron, Alex Heron Jr. Ken Scholes, Peter Herold Montreal - (Note: Cash prizes wereawarded to First through to and including Fourth place.) 1999 Dan Jacob, Lawrence Hicks Paul Janicki, Detlef Ladewig Toronto - (Note: Cash prizes wereawarded to First through to and including Fourth place.) 2000 David McLellan, William Treble Gloria Silverman, Andy Altay Halifax - (Note: Cash prizes wereawarded to First through to and including Fourth place.) 2001 Jean Castonguay, Andre Chartrand Barbara Saltsman, Nancy Koffler Montreal - (Note: Cash prizes wereawarded to First through to and including Fourth place.) 2002 David McLellan, William Treble Charles Roberts, Glenn Cossey Edmonton - (Note: Cash prizes wereawarded to First through to and including Fourth place.) 2003 John Rayner, Oakville, Ontario, John Duquette, Oshawa, Ontario Carole Berry, Orleans, Ontario, John Gillespie, Ottawa, Ontario Penticton, British Columbia 2004 Jurek Czyzowicz, Darren Wolpert Stephen Cooper, Jordan Cohen Montreal, Providence of Quebec 2005 Rashid Khan, Toronto, Ontario, Bradley Bart, Burnaby, British Columbia Jerry Richardson, London, Ontario, William Koski, King City, Ontario Mississauga, Ontario 2006 Rashid Khan, Toronto, Ontario, Bradley Bart, Burnaby, British Columbia Jerry Richardson, London, Ontario, William Koski, King City, Ontario Mississauga, Ontario 2007 Kamel Fergani, Montreal, Quebec, Pierre Daigneault, Westmount, Quebec Thomas Gandolfo, Maurice De La Salle, Edmonton, Alberta Winnipeg, Manitoba 2008 Cameron Doner, Richmond, Bradley Bart, Burnaby Judith Gartaganis, Nicholas Gartaganis, Calgary Montreal, Providence of Quebec
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