The Shift Forward: Evolving Hockey Culture

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. 

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. 

Hockey Canada has also created a Frequently Asked Questions document for our website to answer any questions you may have about the transition to this new national platform. 

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.