Restoration of Hockey Canada funding being put into question

OTTAWA –

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says parents still need to know that the mentality and culture has been changed and addressed within Hockey Canada.

The sporting body had its funding frozen by sport minister Pascale St-Onge since June 22, 2022. St-Onge overturned that decision on Sunday shortly before the Canadian women’s team’s gold-medal game against the U.S. in Brampton, Ont.

When asked why the conditions of Hockey Canada getting its funding back didn’t involve the stoppage in use of non-disclosure agreements, Trudeau said he’d defer to St-Onge on answering such questions.

Meanwhile, at a Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage meeting on Monday, the decision, as well as Hockey Canada’s need for federal funding was put to question.

Federal funding from Sport Canada made up six per cent ($7.7 million) of Hockey Canada’s funding in 2022, according to the organization’s numbers. That trailed business development and partnerships (43 per cent), funding agencies (14 per cent), insurance premiums (13 per cent) and interest revenue (10 per cent).

Bloc Quebecois MP Sebastien Lemire said “there is no public transparency.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 17, 2023.