Federal government to restore Hockey Canada funding

The federal government says it will restore funding to Hockey Canada, with conditions, not even a year after their funding was frozen amid the organization’s handling of sexual assault allegations.

Hockey Canada saw its funding haulted by the feds back in May 2022, when a woman alleged she was sexually assaulted by eight players, including members of the 2018 world junior team, following a gala in 2018.

In order to have funding re-instated, Hockey Canada needed to meet certain conditions, including alignment with an anti-abuse organization, and commitment to more frequent reporting to Ottawa. But some want to see more significant restructuring.

“It’s a devastating message to be honest,” said Kim Shore, Gymnasts for Change Canada and advocate to end systemic abuse in sport.

“We haven’t seen a meaningful, structural change to that organization. There’s been nothing about governance; nothing about how they are tackling abuse and racism crisis in that sport. It’s really terrifying to think that it’s the message the federal government is sending to all the national sporting organizations is that you need to change a few faces, make it look better and you will get your funding back.”

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Professor Bruce Kidd from the University of Toronto says it’s crucial for Hockey Canada to live up to its promise to create change.

“This is a vast country. A sport like hockey is highly decentralized and we need a lot of different eyes on the accountability question,” said Kidd.

“I think they should have held the money back until there was much clearer progress.”

Hockey Canada elected a new nine-member board in December, after the previous board resigned and former CEO Scott Smith was forced out.

“We are going to continue to be extremely vigilant around ensuring that they continue to be worthy of the trust millions of Canadians put in them as we encourage our kids to continue to play sports, specifically hockey,” said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Localized organizations like Hockey Winnipeg want to see the National organization held to the same standards, they hold their own members.

“That’s what we’re trying to show our members and that’s what a suspension for a youth hockey player is supposed to do, is to change behaviour and we need that discipline to come down to members of Hockey Canada,” said Ian McArton, executive director of Hockey Winnipeg.