The competition featured 16 events. The programme saw four event changes, all replacements, from 2016. In sprint, the men's C-1 200 metres and men's K-2 200 metres were replaced with women's C-1 200 metres and women's C-2 500 metres. In slalom, the men's C-2 was removed. Women's C-1 was added. These three changes were part of the Olympics' move towards gender equality.[2] In addition, the sprint men's K-4 1000 metres was replaced with a shorter race, the men's K-4 500 metres.