Canadian fencing dates back to 1816 when Maitre Girard opened the first fencing school in Montréal. The first Canadian Championships were held in 1902. It was not until the announcement of the 1976 Olympics and incorporation of the Canadian Fencing Federation in 1971, that the Federal Government provided financial assistance to develop elite athletes for the Montréal Olympiad, providing the stimulus for Canadian fencers to steadily improve their performance on the international scene.

The CFF is a non-profit, amateur sports association and is the national governing body of fencing. It includes ten provincial fencing associations, which in turn represent over two hundred local clubs from coast to coast. Its mandate is to establish, develop and support fencing in Canada and to represent Canada on the international scene.