# Ontario Women's Hockey Association

The Ontario Women's Hockey Association (OWHA) is the governing body of women's ice hockey in the Province of Ontario, Canada. The OWHA is a member of the Ontario Hockey Federation (OHF), the Ontario branch of Hockey Canada. The Association was formed in 1975 by Cookie Cartwright to generate interest in women's ice hockey. Roughly ten years later, Fran Rider became the association's executive director.
In 1976, Rhonda Leeman Taylor took on a volunteer position with the OWHA and helped the Association grow the number of registered female teams from 101 to 203, within three years. She became the first employee hired by Hockey Ontario to assist in the development of the OWHA, then in 1980 became its first salaried female employee.

## Jurisdiction

The OWHA operates independently from the OHF's other member associations that govern the various levels of men's hockey. It governs all levels of women's hockey in the province, including minor, junior, and senior, at a provincial level.

## Leagues

Senior
* Golden Blades Junior Hockey League
* Lower Lakes Female Hockey League (LLFHL)
* Windsor Essex Women's Hockey League
Intermediate AA/Junior
* Ontario Women's Hockey League (OWHL) - founded in 2004 as the Provincial Women's Hockey League
Minor
* Lower Lakes Female Hockey League (LLFHL)
* Western Ontario Athletic Association
Associated Groups
* Ottawa District Women's Hockey Association
* Thunder Bay Women's Hockey Association
* Western Ontario Athletic Association

## OWHA Provincial Champions (Senior AAA)

| Season | Ontario Winners | Runners-up | Third Place | Women's National Championships | Ontario result at Nationals |
| 1981-82 | Agincourt Canadians | | | Brantford, Ontario | Agincourt won the 1982 Abby Hoffman Cup |
| 1982-83 | Burlington Ladies | | | Brantford, Ontario | Burlington won the 1983 Abby Hoffman Cup |
| 1983-84 | Hamilton Golden Hawks | | | Spruce Grove, Alberta | Hamilton won bronze |
| 1984-85 | Hamilton Golden Hawks | | | Summerside, Prince Edward Island | Hamilton won silver |
| 1985-86 | Hamilton Golden Hawks | | | North Battleford, Saskatchewan | Hamilton won the 1986 Abby Hoffman Cup |
| 1986-87 | Hamilton Golden Hawks | | | Riverview, New Brunswick | Hamilton won the 1987 Abby Hoffman Cup |
| 1987-88 | Hamilton Golden Hawks | | | Burlington, Ontario | Hamilton won bronze |
| 1988-89 | North York Aeros | | | Coquitlam, British Columbia | North York won silver |
| 1989-90 | North York Aeros | | | Lloydminster, Saskatchewan | North York won bronze |
| 1990-91 | North York Aeros | | | Verdun, Quebec | North York won the 1991 Abby Hoffman Cup |
| 1991-92 | North York Aeros | | | Edmonton, Alberta | North York won silver |
| 1992-93 | North York Aeros | | | Ottawa, Ontario | North York won the 1993 Abby Hoffman Cup |
| 1993-94 | North York Aeros | | | Winnipeg, Manitoba | North York won bronze |
| 1994-95 | Mississauga Chiefs | | | Summerside, Prince Edward Island | Mississauga finished in fourth place |
| 1995-96 | North York Aeros | | | Moncton, New Brunswick | North York won silver |
| 1996-97 | North York Aeros | | | Richmond, British Columbia | North York won bronze |
| 1997-98 | North York Aeros | | | Calgary, Alberta | North York won silver |
| 1998-99 | North York Aeros | | | Mississauga, Ontario | North York won bronze |
| 1999-2000 | North York Aeros | | | Sydney, Nova Scotia | North York won the 2000 Abby Hoffman Cup |
| 2000-01 | North York Aeros | Brampton Thunder | Durham Lightning | Summerside, Prince Edward Island | North York won bronze |
| 2001-02 | North York Aeros | Brampton Thunder | Mississauga Ice Bears | Arnprior, Ontario and Renfrew, Ontario | North York won silver Brampton won bronze |
| 2002-03 | Brampton Thunder | North York Aeros | Mississauga Ice Bears | Saskatoon, Saskatchewan | Brampton won silver |
| 2003-04 | Toronto Aeros | Oakville Ice | Durham Lightning | Sherwood Park, Alberta | Toronto won the 2004 Abby Hoffman Cup |
| 2004-05 | Brampton Thunder | Toronto Aeros | Oakville Ice | Sarnia, Ontario | Toronto won the 2005 Abby Hoffman Cup Brampton won silver |
| 2005-06 | Brampton Thunder | Oakville Ice | Ottawa Raiders | Sydney, Nova Scotia | Brampton won the 2006 Abby Hoffman Cup |
| 2006-07 | Mississauga Aeros | Etobicoke Dolphins | Oakville Ice | Salmon Arm, British Columbia | Etobicoke won silver Mississauga won bronze |
| 2007-08 | Brampton Canadette-Thunder | Mississauga Chiefs | Burlington Barracudas | Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island | Mississauga won the 2008 Abby Hoffman Cup Brampton won silver |