Maltreatment, Bullying & Harassment

Roles, Responsibilities & Conduct Management

Creating safe, respectful, and positive hockey environments is a shared responsibility. Players, parents, coaches, officials, volunteers, Minor Hockey Associations, and Hockey Alberta all have a role in promoting appropriate conduct and responding to concerns.

Disagreements, feedback, and conduct concerns are part of managing any sport environment. When issues arise, it’s important that they are addressed fairly, respectfully, and through the appropriate process.

Understanding the different roles and available resources can help everyone navigate concerns more effectively.

Parents, Caregivers & Families
Parents and caregivers play an important role in supporting positive hockey experiences, modelling respectful behaviour, and helping children navigate challenges.

When concerns arise, families are encouraged to understand the appropriate reporting process, communicate respectfully, and work through available association procedures.

Resources for Families

• Complaint Management Steps — A step-by-step guide to raising a concern, identifying the appropriate contact, and understanding what to do next.
• Complaint Management Table — A quick reference for understanding different types of concerns and where they should be directed.
• Conflict Management Strategies — Practical approaches for managing disagreements, communicating effectively, and working toward respectful resolutions.

Minor Hockey Associations
Minor Hockey Associations are responsible for establishing and applying their local policies and procedures, managing conduct concerns within their jurisdiction, and supporting fair and consistent complaint management.

Associations should have clear processes that allow members to raise concerns, understand how matters will be reviewed, and receive appropriate communication about outcomes.

Resources for Associations

• Hockey Alberta’s Guide to Effective Conduct Management — A comprehensive resource for developing and applying effective conduct management practices within an association.
• Detailed Conduct Management Checklist — A practical tool for associations reviewing their existing processes or working through conduct management responsibilities.
• Simplified Conduct Management Checklist — A shorter reference to help associations identify key considerations when responding to conduct concerns.

Hockey Alberta
Hockey Alberta supports members and associations through policy development, education, resources, and guidance on appropriate complaint management processes.

Hockey Alberta may review or manage concerns that fall within its jurisdiction and can assist associations in understanding their responsibilities and available processes.

Resources

• Hockey Alberta Conduct Management Flow Chart — An overview of the conduct management process and how concerns may be reviewed or directed.
• Conduct Management Details — Additional information about conduct management, expectations, and available resources.

Independent Third Party (ITP)
Hockey Canada’s Independent Third Party provides an independent reporting and assessment process for maltreatment complaints.

The ITP reviews submitted concerns to determine whether they fall within its jurisdiction and identifies the appropriate next steps, which may include referring matters to Hockey Alberta or another responsible organization.

Reporting Information

Independent Third Party Complaint Process — Information about submitting a maltreatment complaint and understanding the independent review process.

Hockey Canada’s Playing Rule 11 addresses maltreatment during games, including discriminatory language, harassment, and other inappropriate behaviour. Rule 11.4 specifically addresses discrimination based on grounds such as race, ethnicity, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, and disability.

Discriminatory language and behaviour have no place in hockey. Under Rule 11.4, players and team officials who engage in discriminatory taunts, insults, or intimidation are subject to a Gross Misconduct penalty.

Reporting On-Ice Maltreatment
On-ice maltreatment can be addressed even when an official does not directly witness the incident.

• If witnessed by an official: The official applies the appropriate playing rule and submits the required game report.
• If not witnessed by an official: The player or team official should bring the concern to an official during the game. The official will advise the appropriate team bench staff and document the allegation in a Game Incident Report for further review.
• Following the game: Allegations that were not penalized during play may still be submitted for review through the applicable on-ice maltreatment reporting process.

Game officials, team staff, and participants all play a role in identifying and reporting maltreatment. Reporting concerns helps ensure incidents can be reviewed and addressed through the appropriate process.

For additional information, refer to the Hockey Canada Rulebook.

Supporting Safe & Positive Hockey Experiences
Positive hockey experiences are built through supportive relationships, respectful environments, and opportunities for children to learn and grow. Parents, caregivers, coaches, and volunteers all contribute to creating environments where young people feel welcome, supported, and confident participating in the game.

Supporting children also means helping them develop the skills to navigate challenges, communicate their needs, build healthy relationships, and recognize when additional support may be needed.

Encourage Open Communication
Create opportunities for children to talk about their hockey experiences, including what they’re enjoying, what they’re finding challenging, and how they’re feeling.

• Ask open-ended questions about practices, games, teammates, and friendships.
• Listen without immediately trying to solve every problem.
• Encourage children to express their feelings, ask questions, and share different perspectives.
• Help children understand that they can approach trusted adults when they need guidance or support.

Build Confidence & Resilience
Hockey provides opportunities to experience success, disappointment, conflict, and adversity. With appropriate support, these experiences can help children develop confidence, resilience, and problem-solving skills.

• Help children manage disappointment, mistakes, and setbacks in healthy ways.
• Encourage them to reflect on challenges and consider what they can learn from an experience.
• Support age-appropriate independence and problem-solving rather than immediately stepping in.
• Reinforce that effort, growth, and enjoyment are important parts of participation.
• Recognize the difference between normal challenges in sport and behaviour that is harmful or inappropriate.

Promote Healthy Relationships & Respect
Positive relationships with teammates, coaches, officials, and other participants contribute to a healthy hockey environment.

• Model respectful communication, including during disagreements.
• Encourage empathy, inclusion, and consideration for others.
• Help children understand personal boundaries and the importance of respecting the boundaries of others.
• Talk about how to navigate friendships, peer pressure, and conflict.
• Reinforce that everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect.

Stay Connected & Involved
Parents and caregivers can support their child’s hockey experience by remaining engaged, approachable, and connected to their team and association.

• Take an interest in your child’s experiences beyond wins, losses, and performance.
• Become familiar with team expectations, association policies, and available supports.
• Build positive relationships with coaches, team staff, and other families.
• Encourage children to participate in team activities and develop a sense of belonging.
• Support a team environment where communication and collaboration are encouraged.

Recognize When Additional Support Is Needed
Not every disagreement or difficult experience requires formal intervention. However, children should know that they can ask for help when a situation becomes overwhelming, persistent, or harmful.

• Take concerns seriously and consider the child’s age, circumstances, and well-being.
• Help children identify trusted adults they can approach for guidance.
• Support children in addressing everyday challenges while recognizing when adult involvement is appropriate.
• Seek additional support when concerns affect a child’s safety, well-being, or ability to participate.
• Use the appropriate reporting process when behaviour may involve maltreatment, abuse, discrimination, or other serious concerns.

Supporting Positive Online Interactions
Team group chats, social media, and online communication are also part of the hockey experience.

• Encourage respectful and inclusive communication online.
• Discuss how messages, jokes, and comments can affect others.
• Help children understand privacy, personal boundaries, and responsible sharing.
• Support children in navigating online disagreements and recognizing when to seek help.

A safe and positive hockey experience does not mean children will never face challenges. It means they have the relationships, skills, and support needed to navigate those challenges, grow through their experiences, and receive appropriate help when concerns arise.

Education & Resources
Hockey Alberta provides educational resources and tools to help players, parents, coaches, officials, volunteers, and associations create safe, respectful, and inclusive hockey environments.

These resources support learning and awareness in areas such as maltreatment prevention, bullying, harassment, discrimination, mental health, inclusion, and participant well-being.

Hockey Alberta Education Inventory
Our Education Inventory brings together educational tools, videos, guides, and programs covering physical, social, and emotional safety, mental health, and well-being.

Resources vary in format, cost, availability, and intended audience. While Hockey Alberta has gathered these resources to support learning and awareness, not all programs have been individually reviewed or endorsed. We encourage members to explore the available options and determine which resources best meet their needs.

Education Inventory — Explore available learning opportunities, programs, and resources for individuals, teams, and associations.

Explore the Education Inventory >

Mental Health & Participant Well-Being

• Maltreatment & Mental Health Resources > Additional resources and information to support mental health, well-being, and safe hockey experiences.
• Safety Requires Teamwork & Safety for All > Hockey Canada guidance on promoting safe hockey environments, preventing injuries, and understanding shared safety responsibilities.

Rules, Policies & Coaching Resources

• Hockey Canada Rulebook > Official playing rules, including provisions addressing maltreatment and discrimination during games.
• Hockey Canada Playing Rules > Access current playing rules and officiating resources.
• Hockey Canada Maltreatment Coaching Resource > Guidance for coaches on recognizing, preventing, and responding to maltreatment in hockey.

Education, Inclusion & Safe Sport

• Safe Sport > Training and resources supporting safe, inclusive, and responsible sport participation.
• Canadian Human Rights Act  > Federal legislation addressing discrimination and protecting human rights within its jurisdiction.
• Hockey Diversity Alliance > An organization working to address systemic barriers and promote inclusion and diversity in hockey.
• Black Girl Hockey Club > An organization focused on supporting Black women and girls in hockey and building a more inclusive hockey community.

Policies help Minor Hockey Associations establish clear expectations, support consistent decision-making, and provide fair processes for addressing concerns. Well-developed policies also help maintain continuity as association leadership and volunteers change over time.

Associations should regularly review their policies to ensure they align with current Hockey Alberta and Hockey Canada requirements and clearly explain how conduct concerns and complaints will be managed.

Developing an Abuse, Harassment and Bullying Policy

A strong policy dealing with Harassment and Abuse raises awareness and sends a message to the members that harassment and abuse will not be tolerated, while providing a mechanism to deal with these issues quickly, effectively, and responsibly.

There are two options when developing policies pertaining to harassment and abuse:

1. Integrate Abuse, Harassment and Bullying into existing codes of conduct and discipline policies.
2. Create a separate, stand-alone policy on Abuse, Harassment and Bullying.

Regardless of the approach chosen, there are five key areas that must be covered:

1. A statement of purpose, scope and application of the policy.
2. A statement of standard of behaviour which is expected, and of unacceptable behaviour.
3. A description of the procedures for reviewing complaints when the standards of behaviour are breached, and these procedures must:
   • satisfy legal requirements of procedural fairness
   • address how an organization will respond to a complaint
   • show how information about a complaint will be gathered
   • inform how a hearing will occur and how a decision will be made
4. A guideline for imposing disciplinary sanctions in the event there is a finding of harassment or abuse against an individual.
5. An appeal mechanism to provide recourse to an individual who is not satisfied with the outcome of the dispute.

Note: If developing a stand-alone harassment and abuse policy, all five of these elements must be included in it.

If the approach is to integrate harassment and abuse into a code of conduct and discipline policy, then the harassment and abuse wording must be integrated into two separate policies:

• a code of conduct (1 and 2 above)
• a discipline procedure (3, 4, and 5 above)

Key Principles Required in a Policy

The policy must be fair to all parties involved, easy to understand and implement, and must meet your legal obligations.

A well written policy will act as an organization’s best friend by:

• ensuring that individuals respect the process because it is viewed as objective, fair, and effective.
• ensuring that individuals are dealt with fairly and responsibly.
• simplifying a complicated process with a clear outline of how the issue will be processed.
• protecting your organization by clearly outlining what is unacceptable behavior.