Canadian Company of Pilgrims
The Way of Saint James
Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, Spain
Who We Are
The Canadian Company of Pilgrims (CCoP) is a non-denominational volunteer-run association that supports Canadians planning the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
The Canadian Company of Pilgrims (CCoP) is a non-denominational volunteer-run association that supports Canadians planning the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, Spain. We share the Canadian representation with l’Association Québécoise des pèlerins et amis du Chemin de Saint-Jacques.
The CCoP provides information and generates awareness and interest in the Camino through a network of chapters across Canada and also through its website and Facebook page. Local Chapters provide a forum for the exchange of information about the Camino and also offer practical training and information sessions.
The CCoP is also part of an international network of similar organizations operating locally and nationally throughout the world.
A Brief History of The Canadian Company Of Pilgrims
The Canadian Company of Pilgrims (CCoP), was founded in Toronto in 1994 by the Reverend Ben Lochridge following his completion of the Camino. Ben and Mike Henry drafted a constitution to set out the parameters of the group and membership in the CCoP, and interest in the Camino has continued to grow right across Canada each year since.
In 2000, Barbara Cappuccitti of Toronto was elected president. Austin Cooke in Ottawa then served as president from 2007 until 2015, when Wendy Loly from Victoria assumed leadership.
Today, there are CCoP Chapters in Victoria, Vancouver, Kelowna, Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, London, Hamilton, Kitchener-Waterloo, Toronto, Ottawa, Fredericton and Halifax.
Since its founding, the CCoP has issued over 20,000 credentials to Canadian pilgrims. The CCoP has had a policy over the years of supporting pilgrims in Spain through financial sponsorship of Canada week at the Albergue Gaucelmo in Rabanal. CCoP has also funded renovations to the kitchen and to the hot water systems at the albergue in Miraz.
In 2016, the CCoP web site was revamped and now includes the capability for members and pilgrims to join the CCoP and to purchase credencials online.