Hockey Canada won’t collect player participant fees for 2022-23

According to The Canadian Press, Hockey Canada has announced it will not collect a player participant fee for the upcoming season.

This comes after many provincial hockey bodies – including Hockey Quebec and Hockey Nova Scotia – had stated they would not send the fees to Hockey Canada this year. The $3 player participation fees were found to be used by Hockey Canada to pay for sexual assault settlements, among other things.

Earlier this year, news broke that it had settled a $3.55 million lawsuit with a woman who claimed eight hockey players from the 2018 Canadian World Junior team sexually assaulted her. The allegations have not been proven in court.

Many of Hockey Canada’s premier sponsors – including Bauer and Tim Hortons – have either frozen or permanently ended sponsorship for its national teams. Earlier this month, Scott Smith left his post as CEO, and the organization’s board agreed to step down this year.

No timeline for a new CEO has been determined. The board will be assembled during Hockey Canada’s annual general meeting on Dec. 17.

Two weeks ago, the women’s national team put out a statement asking for equal representation on the new Hockey Canada board.

“We ask for equal representation with a seat at the table, as we continue to promote and grow the women’s game globally, so that we may bring our perspective and input to ensure that our sport’s national governing body evolves to one that truly represents all Canadians and safeguards its participants,” it said. “As members of the most recent Women’s Canadian National Olympic and World Championships teams, we are proud of the culture and legacy our program has created and would like to thank the partners who continue to stand alongside us.”