Remembering Ted Goveia

Football Canada joins the entire Canadian football community in mourning the loss of Ted Goveia, who has passed away following a courageous battle with cancer. 

Ted served on Football Canada’s Board of Directors from 2020 to 2024, bringing the same steady presence and sharp eye for talent that defined his coaching and executive career. But long before he was a CFL general manager and Grey Cup–winning architect, he was a community coach, a university recruiter, and a mentor who believed deeply in the power of football to shape lives. 

A proud Burlington native, Ted started out at his football journey at Assumption Secondary as a player and carried his passion for the game into a coaching career at his alma mater Mount Allison. From there, he poured himself into helping young athletes find their footing—whether with the Burlington Braves, McMaster Marauders, or UBC Thunderbirds. His influence was felt not just on the field but in the countless conversations, car rides, and training sessions where he gave athletes the belief that football could take them further than they ever imagined. 

Ted’s professional résumé speaks for itself; Toronto Argonauts coach and personnel director, longtime Winnipeg Blue Bombers executive, and, most recently, General Manager of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Along the way he helped build three Grey Cup championship teams. But for all the headlines and trophies, Ted never stopped championing the grassroots. He believed that the strength of Canadian football began in our communities, and he carried that belief into every decision he made during his years of service with Football Canada. 

“Ted was an integral part of our football family in Canada,” said Kevin McDonald, Executive Director of Football Canada. “He brought the same passion for developing youth athletes that he did to building championship teams in the CFL. His dedication to creating pathways for young players, coaches, and seeing the sport grow across the country was genuine and impactful. We are grateful for his service to Football Canada, and his legacy will live on in the people and communities he inspired.” 

Football Canada extends its heartfelt condolences to Ted’s family and friends. His legacy will forever be woven into the grassroots fields, university sidelines, and professional locker rooms of this country.