Hockey Canada’s third summit to be held in Toronto, will tackle discrimination

Hockey Canada will hold a Beyond The Boards summit in Ottawa in November to analyze gender-based violence, homophobia, sexism and transphobia in the game. A Hockey Canada logo is seen on the door to the organization's head office in Calgary on Jan. 11, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

TORONTO — Hockey Canada’s third summit analyzing the game’s culture will focus on discrimination.

The third edition of its “Beyond The Boards” summit will be Nov. 13 in Toronto, the country’s governing body of hockey announced Thursday.

The first summit in Calgary in 2023 tackled toxic masculinity. The second in Ottawa last year examined outcomes of unhealthy hockey culture.

Hockey Canada came under pressure to change the sport’s culture after allegations of sexual assault by members of the national junior men’s hockey team at a 2018 gala in London, Ont.

Five players were found not guilty of sexual assault in July, but the initial allegations put hockey under the microscope to reveal other issues in the game: racism, hazing, discrimination and homophobia.

The third summit will feature Karl Subban, whose three sons were drafted into the NHL, as a panellist, and former NHL head coach Ted Nolan as an opening-night speaker.

“On our journey to building a healthier hockey in Canada, hosting the third Beyond the Boards Summit will be an important step to further explore issues in hockey that are negatively impacting participants across the country,” Hockey Canada president and CEO Katherine Henderson said in a statement.

“The first two summits were incredibly valuable to our organization, members and other guests, and we look forward to continuing our education in Toronto this fall.”

The summit will be moderated by Dr. Richard Norman, a strategist and researcher in transformation and inclusivity in sport.

“Beyond the Boards has brought people together from across the country to listen to experts and those with lived experiences, including athletes, coaches and parents, as we strive to build environments that are as strong as our participants,” said Denise Pattyn, Hockey Canada’s senior vice-president of people, culture and inclusion.

“We are looking forward to further learning from those who will join us at this upcoming third session and applying those learnings to better our sport.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 18, 2025.