The WCJHL was formed in the summer of 1948 when junior hockey clubs from Saskatchewan and Alberta joined together to form a league with a higher level of competition than their respective provincial leagues. The initial teams were the Moose Jaw Canucks and Regina Pats from the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League, and the Medicine Hat Tigers, Bellevue Lions, Lethbridge Native Sons, and Calgary Buffaloes of the Southern Alberta Junior Hockey League.
The idea of a inter-provincial league had been floated for several years prior to this, the thought being that a higher-class league would be more organized, with a league president and publicity department. The creation of this league meant the demise of the Southern Alberta Hockey League since all its teams joined the new league, however the Saskatchwan Junior Hockey League, losing just two teams, reorganized as the South Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League for the 1948-49 season.
The WCJHL played for the same trophy that ... [Click for more]had been awarded to the champion of the Southern Alberta Junior Hockey League in 1947-48.