Hockey Nova Scotia suspends transfer of player fees to Hockey Canada

Hockey Nova Scotia is the latest provincial hockey body to freeze sending player participation fees to Hockey Canada.

The group confirmed the decision in a statement on their website on Thursday evening, saying they have “lost confidence in Hockey Canada’s senior leadership.”

“Hockey families and non-hockey families alike agree: Change is needed at the highest levels of the game,” the statement read. “Therefore, Hockey Nova Scotia is formally suspending the transfer of participant assessment fees to Hockey Canada for the 2022-23 season.

“Until our values at Hockey Nova Scotia are reflected by Hockey Canada’s senior leadership, we simply cannot support hockey’s national governing body. Hockey Nova Scotia remains committed to working with our dedicated network of volunteers across the province to offer the best programs possible for our membership.”

The move comes after Hockey Quebec elected to freeze the transfer of fees earlier this week. The Ontario Hockey Federation has put in a second formal request asking Hockey Canada to not deduct the fees this season.

On Thursday, Canadian Tire became the first sponsor to fully back out of funding Hockey Canada. Others like Tim Hortons and Scotiabank have elected to suspend funding for men’s teams.

Earlier on Tuesday, Federal Sports Minister Pascale St-Onge called for regional hockey federations to pressure Hockey Canada to make changes. The Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage questioned former Hockey Canada chair Michael Brind’Amour and interim chair Andrea Skinner about the group’s handling of sexual assault allegations.

Skinner claimed that removing the current leaders would “be very impactful in a negative way to our boys and girls who are playing hockey. Will the lights stay on in the rink? I don’t know. We can’t predict that, and to me that’s not a risk worth taking.”