 Its founding members were the Collingwood Shipbuilders, the Port Elgin Sunocos, the Owen Sound Greys and the Orangeville Cougars.Port Elgin had been part of the OHA Intermediate C loop and Owen Sound was returning to the ice after a one-year hiatus caused by the 1977 collapse of the Southern Ontario Junior A Hockey League.Collingwood was the first regular season champion, finishing first with a 30-7-0 record, but Port Elgin won the inaugural playoff championship.