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On April 1, 2026, Hockey Canada will expand The Shift Forward: Evolving Hockey Culture, a new learning and development program that is the home for national education and training courses. This Shift Forward program replaces the previous Respect in Sport program.
The program was piloted with five Members for the 2025-26 season and will expand to 12 Members in 2026-27, with courses for new coaches, rostered staff, officials, and parents and guardians.
The Shift Forward is an enhanced education program that was created following an extensive consultation process with stakeholders in Hockey Canada-sanctioned programs to understand how education and training can better support participants and the key objective of changing unhealthy behaviours in the game.
As part of the response from the national Training Needs Analysis that was conducted by Hockey Canada, there was overwhelming feedback that national education and training courses should be age-appropriate, modernized, engaging, specific to how participants engage with hockey, and progressive as they go through their hockey journey, with content that seeks to evolve the culture of hockey on and off the ice.
In an effort to support a successful transition to The Shift Forward, Hockey Canada will continue to recognize existing certification—including Respect in Sport—as an equivalent as part of a multi-year phased in approach before all participants engaging with hockey will be required to complete The Shift Forward beginning in the 2028-29 season.
To ensure the new national content is achieving its desired impact, Hockey Canada is committed to working with the 13 Members and their membership to evaluate The Shift Forward through surveys and other participant-driven methods of feedback.
The evolution to The Shift Forward reflects our proactive aspirations to shape a healthier hockey for all involved in our National Winter Sport, and we look forward to this new era in education and training for hockey participants.
The Shift Forward MHA Evolving Hockey Culture FAQ EN
The Shift Forward MHA Evolving Hockey Culture FAQ FR
Coaches, officials, rostered staff:
REGISTER FOR SHIFT FORWARD - GENERAL PROGRAM
At least one parent or guardian from each household of a participant at the U7 and U9 levels, regardless whether first, second or third year of participation, and those parents or guardians of new registrants up to U18 level, must take the on-line “Shift Forward Program”.
The Shift Forward Program - Parent/Guardian shall be completed by at least one parent/guardian per family of all U7, U9 and new Branch registered players.
The parent/guardian from each household must take the online course before the participant begins his/her first regular season session for U7 participants and first regular game for U9 and above. This implementation of the program will foster and develop a culture of mutual respect in HEO and serve as an effective risk management tool as well as contributing to the overall safety and enjoyment of the game by all participants. It is also a platform of proactive education for each of the stakeholders that have a direct impact on the youth in our game. The parents/guardians of our players represent a key step towards achieving our vision.
Completion of the Shift Forward - Parent/Guardian program for at least one parent/guardian of each family of every registered player in U7, U9 and new to the Branch shall be a condition of their eligibility for participation.
Register for shift forward - Parent/guardian Program