The first Youth National Championship was held in 1986 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The event was held in conjunction with the 1986 Adult National Championships. During the event, the youth were segregated from the adults and a close watch was undertaken to ensure that no drinking of alcoholic beverages occurred.

There was only one youth in each age category that year and only a singles event was held. However, the youth were afforded the same status as the adults and the finals in each age category were played on stage. 1986 was also the first year that an abundance of professional players from England were in attendance for the Canadian Open. The likes of Eric Bristow, John Lowe, Jockey Wilson, to mention a few, were in attendance and this thrilled the youth who kept them busy signing autographs.

At the venue in Halifax, the darts were set-up in two different halls. On the Saturday, Manitoba "lost" their junior male player. After a few anxious moments he was located in the second hall playing darts for money against the pros., He was removed very quickly from the hall which was off limits to the youth and threatened within a inch of his life if he returned.