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The Formation of CYC was preceded by numerous activities of Ukrainian intellectuals in Canada. These 'narodowtsi', as they were commonly referred to, recognized the needs of the fledgling Ukrainian community in Canada. They were instrumental in organizing associations and institutions to address these needs. Some important products of this process were the Ruthenian (Ukrainian) Teachers' Association (1906) and the Ukrainian Voice newspaper (1910).

A critical endeavor was the formation of the Peter Mohyla Ukrainian Institute in Saskatoon in 1916. Important also was the maintenance of the institute as a non-sectarian residence. This caused strained relations with the Ukrainian Catholic Church who wanted the institute to serve catholic students only.

The desire among a growing number of faithful, to have Ukrainian priests, to have local lay control of church property, and to be served by married clergy, lead to the founding of the Ukrainian Orthodox Brotherhood and the subsequent founding of the Ukrainian Greek-Orthodox (UGO) Church of Canada in 1918. Both Mohyla Institute and the Brotherhood were founded by the same 'narodowtsi' under the leadership of individuals like Vasyl' Kudryk and Michael Stechishin. To offset the potential abuses by clergy, as was perceived to be occurring in the UG Catholic Church, the Church governance of the UG Orthodox Church was structured to call for equal numbers of clergy and laity in the administrative body, the Consistory. Bishops would be elected by the Church membership, rather than appointed by the hierarchy, as was usual Church practice.

The 'narodowtsi' and the P. Mohyla Institute held annual conventions at the Institute through the 1920's, usually in December. The Institute was a shareholder corporation, religiously unaffiliated. In 1919, The M. Hrushevsky Institute (later St. John's), was founded by the 'narodowtsi' based on the Mohyla Institute model.

Out of the Mohyla Institute came the founding of the women's society "Mohylianky" in 1923. In the same year, the O. Kobylianska Women's Association was formed in Saskatoon. It became the first Branch of what became the Ukrainian Women's Association of Canada in 1926. An instrumental leader in the women's movement was Savella Stechishin.

In 1927 the 'narodowtsi', founded CYC or the Ukrainian Self-Reliance League. A major original goal of CYC was to assist Ukrainians in Ukraine.

CYMK was formed in 1931. CYMK and the UWAC grew in many communities because branches were formed as a result of their organizational efforts. CYC assisted in these efforts. It was a nationalistic movement and recruited members without regard to religious affiliation. P. Mohyla Institute also recruited and trained its student residents in a non-sectarian manner......