It is recognized by the International Orienteering Federation, of which it is a member.

[1] Orienteering Canada, was founded in 1967 as the Canadian Orienteering Federation and initially consisted of three member associations, those of Ontario, Quebec, and Nova Scotia.

[2] In 1972, Canada sent its first team to the World Orienteering Championships (WOC) in Staré Splavy, Czech Republic.

By 1975, Orienteering Canada consisted of 8 provincial associations.

In 2012, the organization formally changed its name to Orienteering Canada.