Canadian Soccer News has learned that an audit conducted for the Canadian Soccer Association has revealed that only two of the Canadian Soccer League's 14 teams have met the standards for D3 sanctioning in Canada.
The CSA professional committee met with league officials last week and at that time a report on the finances, player salaries and coaching standards was presented to the committee. Only the York Region Shooters and Montreal Impact Academy were deemed to be in compliance with the CSA's D3 standards. Toronto FC's Academy was not included in the finanacial part of the audit because of their unique professional structure.
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The CSL will have to come before the committee again in mid-January with a plan to bring the remaining teams up to standard - the most glaring of which, CSN was told, was the lack of compliance on player's salaries.
Those close to the situation told CSN that it was too early to discuss the CSL's D3 sanctioning being pulled, but that the standards would have to be met if the league wanted to continue its standing at D3.
Also, of note, was that at the same meeting the CSL brought forward a proposal to seek sanctioning on a women's league. The proposal suggested that women's teams would be paired alongside its First Division men's sides. That proposal has been shelved until the league is able to resolve its issues on the men's side.