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Society

WHAT IS A SOCIETY?

A Society is formed by people who share a common recreational, cultural, scientific, or charitable interest. As it relates to Hockey the people who share a common interest are those that play hockey (or their guardians) or have a desire to see hockey within their community. This group of people, in turn, will designate (through election) a select number of people who will lead and make decisions for the organization.

To be a Member of Hockey Alberta, a Local Minor Hockey Association must be incorporated under the Alberta Societies Act. Other members, such as club teams, are not required to incorporate. However there are benefits to incorporating as a society including:

  • reduced financial risk for members as they may not be held liable for potential debts of the society
  • public perception is enhanced which may lead to more funding opportunities
  • eligibility for government grants, casino funding, and the opportunity to become a registered charity all of which can provide financial benefits to the organization

FORMING YOUR SOCIETY

1. Your Name

The first step in forming is society is choosing a name. Your society’s name must not be the same, or similar to, any other society or corporation’s name. If you are incorporating your society your name must have the following three elements (parts) in it

  • Distinctive element - a unique word or location that makes the society’s name different from others
  • Descriptive element - a description of what the society is or does
  • Legal element - one of the following words: Society, Association, Club, Fellowship, Guild, Foundation, Institute, League, Committee, Council, Board, Centre, Bureau

Using the Alberta Amateur Hockey Association as an example

  • Alberta = Distinctive element
  • Amateur Hockey = Descriptive element
  • Association = Legal element

To ensure that your name is not in use you will have to obtain an NUANS Report which can be accessed through an authorized NUANS search house which can be found at www.nuans.com. If you choose to have a name that is similar to another name you will need to obtain written permission from the other group to use the selected name.

2. Your Location

After identifying what your society is, you need to determine the boundaries of your association as well as where the society will be located. Hockey Alberta can provide assistance in determining boundaries.

Keep in mind that your association’s “office” should be one that is readily accessible; for example, not the home address of the founding president.

3. Your Society’s Purpose

Once you have determined your name and boundaries, the next step is to solidify the overall objective or purpose of your society. Knowing this is what drives your organization’s behaviors, decisions, and existence and that is why it is key. As a member of Hockey Alberta your purpose/objective needs to be focused on the providing a positive experience and a safe and fun environment for all participants in the game.

For more information on societies please visit the Service Alberta website .