Guide

1. What STD, PQ, DQ, VAR mean?

STD - the standard time needed by the swimmer to swim in that event at the specified championship (e.g. Ontario Festivals, Ontario Central Region Championship, etc)

PQ - Pre-Requisite time needed by the swimmer to qualify for the specified championship

DQ - De-Qualifying time which prevents the swimmer to qualify for the specified championship

VAR - Variance to the standard time. Represents the threshold above or below the standard time. The lower negative variance, the closer the swimmer is to make the standard time. Useful when you plan for which events to swim in trials.

2. Swim Ontario Provincial and Festivals New Standards

Highlights of the changes:

Age categories:13 & Under, 14, 15, 16, and 17 & Over. No more Open category.
Both Spring and Summer meets are LC.
Pre-Requisite rules are eliminated.
Times are between 1-2% faster than 2015-2016 (with the exception of 14 & Over in 800/1500 Free & 400 IM, and 13 & Under in 800 Free & 200 IM)
Qualified swimmers get only 1 (one) bonus event.
AA Meet eligibility
- 1 QT = 3 events in AA Meet
- 2 QTs = 2 events in AA Meet
- 3 QTs = 1 event in AA Meet
- 4 QTs or more are not eligible to swim in AA Meet

More details on Swim Ontario page.

3. Swim Ontario "AA" Standards

Highlights: Based on a survey among the swim head coaches from Ontario, Swim Ontario committed to a new format for the Ontario Provincial Championships (Spring and Summer). A two tiered format with the first tier swum as current format and standards and the second tier meet being swum with a different set of standards during the afternoons as timed finals events.

As such, the Ontario AA Standards have been established (faster than Provincial "B" Standards but slower than "A").

Eligibility:

De-qualifying times are the Provincial Championship STD times
Maximum 8 individual swims
AA meet only swimmers (zero QTs for Prov. Champs)
1 QT = 4 Bonus swims
2 QTs = 3 Bonus swims
3 QTs = 2 Bonus swims
4 QTs = 1 Bonus swim
5 QTs or more are not eligible for bonus swims
More information on Swim Ontario here

4. Swim Ontario Central Region

Eligibility:

All athletes must be registered as Competitive swimmers with SNC, or any other amateur swimming organization recognized by FINA.
A valid SNC registration number is required for all Canadian swimmers, and entries without a SNC registration number will be declined entry.
All swimmers must be registered with a Central Region Club and meet age and 2016 qualifying standards.
Swimmers may swim a maximum of 7 individual events. Please submit Best Times. Times must be an Official time and provable.
No bonus swims will be accepted.

Competition:

The age groups will be 10&U, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16&O.
All 12&U swims will be Timed Finals
All 13&O B and C Division events will be Timed Finals
All other 13&O A Division events will have Preliminaries and A Finals
All 400 events will be Timed Finals and will swim fastest to slowest
All Relays will be Timed Finals and swum during the Preliminary Sessions

Qualifying:

This is an A/B/C meet also known as a Division by Time Standards Meet.
Swimmers must adhere to qualifying times and have less than 4 de-qualyfing times
Qualifying period starts Sept 1, 2015.
A Division uses "B" 2017 Ontario Provincial/Festival Standards (SCM);
B Division uses “C” 2016-17 Ontario Provincial/Festival Standards (SCM); De-qualifying are Festivals for 12&Under and Provincials for 13&Over
C Division uses “E” 2016-17 Ontario Provincial/Festival Standards (SCM);De-qualifying is "C"
14&U uses Festival Standards
15&O uses Ontario Age Group Standards

5. Nova Scotia Junior Provincial Championship Qualifying Rules

Swimmers may qualify for Nova Scotia Jr. Provincial Championships using either short OR long course times.
15 & U – Require either a 200 or 400 IM time and a 200, 400, 800, or 1500 Freestyle time to enter the meet. Swimmers may then choose any events up to 6 (six) individual swims
16 & Over – require one qualifying time to compete, then get up to five bonus swims for a total of 6 (six) individual swims

6. Nova Scotia Provincial Championship Qualifying Rules

Swimmers may qualify for Nova Scotia Provincial Championships using either short OR long course times.
14&U – Require either a 200 or 400 IM time and a 200, 400, 800, or 1500 Freestyle time to enter the meet. Swimmers may then choose any events up to 6 (six) individual swims
15& Over – require three qualifying times to compete, then get up to 3 bonus swims for a total of 6 (six) individual swims
All ages - Must attain the QT in 800 or 1500 Freestyle to be eligible to swim the event at Nova Scotia Provincial Championships. If they attain the QT in 800 or 1500 then can swim the alternate distance without proof of time.
Female age 10 & under, 12 & under, 14 & under
Male age 11 & under, 13 & under, 15 & under
Swimmers may enter a maximum of six (6) individual events.

7. 2016 Team Aquatic Supplies Age Group Trials Qualifying Rules

Swimmers must achieve their distinct age Meet Qualifying Standard within the qualifying period, either short course or long course.
Swimmers with ‘A’ times in three events or less are permitted to enter events in which they have not achieved the ‘A’ standard.
Swimmers who have achieved ‘A’ time standards in four or more events, short course or long course, prior to the first day of competition are de-qualified from the meet.
Female age 10 & under, 12 & under, 14 & under
Male age 11 & under, 13 & under, 15 & under

8. Speedo Alberta Age Group Championships

Swimmers must achieve at least one distinct age ‘A’ standard within the qualifying period, either short course or long course.
Swimmers who win an individual event at the Team Aquatic Supplies Age Group Trials are permitted to attend.
Para Swimmers must meet the Provincial Para Swimming time standard.
Swimmers may enter a maximum of seven (7) individual events.
Female age 10 & under, 12 & under, 14 & under, Para 14 & under
Male age 11 & under, 13 & under, 15 & under, Para 15 & under
Coaches must notify the meet manager if they want a swimmer to swim up an age group.

9. Speedo Alberta Senior Championships

Swimmers must qualify in at least one event during the qualifying period.
Females 15 and over / Males 16 and over must meet the Senior B time during the qualifying period.
Females 14 and under / Males 15 and under must achieve the 15-16 or 16-17 A time standard if they wish to race events in the senior competition, the total number of individual events may not exceed seven.

10. Swim Ontario Academy Consideration 2016

Times to have been achieved in a 50m Pool in a sanctioned meet since July 2015.
Ages as of 31st December 2016.
These times will be reviewed and may be improved annually.
More information on Swim Ontario page

11. Swimming Canada updated the National Championships rules and standards for 2017

Key changes:

Use of LC qualifying times only at national competitions
Creation of peak performance windows in March/April and July/August
Eastern & Western Championships move to April from February
Creation of a youth qualifying standard for Canadian Trials
Changing Canadian Age Group Championships (AGN) into the Canadian Junior Championships (CJC)
Targeted placement of the stroke 50 events (Fly, Back and Breast)
Emphasis on relays

Check the link to see Swimcenter's table with CJC, Trials, and CSC standard times.
You can read full details about the changes in Swimming Canada's Competition Improvement Plan