SCWHL statement re: Hockey Canada

The South Coast Women’s Hockey League is calling for the resignation of Hockey Canada’s Board of Directors and its CEO/President.

The SCWHL is concerned by allegations of sexual assault against members of the 2018 national male U20 team and the lack of a proper investigation by Hockey Canada, as well as a lack of transparency regarding a National Equity Fund used by Hockey Canada to settle sexual misconduct claims from the 2018 incident as well as other cases.

“The leadership of Hockey Canada has done nothing to instill confidence among its members that real change will take place,” said SCWHL president Rick Kupchuk. “How can the players, coaches, administrators and volunteers have any confidence in the board to address the issues the organization is facing, when the board chair refuses to acknowledge there are any issues to be dealt with?”

The SCWHL is also concerned by reports that a percentage of player registration fees, including those paid by the roughly 150 women playing in the SCWHL, were allocated to the National Equity Fund, which was used by Hockey Canada to settle sexual misconduct claims.

The SCWHL, the only competitive women’s hockey league in British Columbia, is a member of - and sanctioned by – BC Hockey and Hockey Canada. The nine-team league is classified as Senior Female AA and has two teams on Vancouver Island, one in Kamloops and six in Metro Vancouver.