Fewer kids playing in Halifax-area minor hockey leagues as cost of living rises

The rising cost of living is causing fewer children to register for hockey in the Halifax area, league operators said.

Registration in the Halifax and Dartmouth minor hockey leagues has dropped by hundreds of players in recent years, according to numbers obtained by CBC News. Yet overall minor hockey registration in Nova Scotia is going up. 

"It's expensive," said Peter Dulhanty, president of the Dartmouth Whalers Minor Hockey Association. "Everything costs more and people have less money."

It costs at least $900 to register a player nine years of age or older and the price is going up next season, according to the Whalers' website. 

The Dartmouth league hasn't raised registration fees in five years but rising ice rental, insurance and referee costs are increasing financial pressures that will have to be passed on to families, Dulhanty said.

It started an equipment bank to help some families get their children on the ice and every piece of equipment available has been snatched up, he said.

Dulhanty, whose father used to be the treasurer for the league, said an increasing number of parents need to pay for registration in instalments.

"There were always some," he said. "But in the last two years, it's gotten a lot worse."

Could be much worse

The number of boys registered in the Dartmouth minor hockey association has dropped by more than 24 per cent since the 2013-14 season. Halifax minor hockey association numbers have decreased 10 per cent in the last five seasons.

"I think it would have actually been much worse but for the fact we've tried to tackle some of those barriers," said Craig Robinson, president of the Halifax Hawks Minor Hockey Association.

The Halifax league offers free registration for 10 players and families sponsor another five to 10 players every season, Robinson said.

The cost to register a player nine or older is at least $630 and as high as $1,650, depending on the level they play. 

Overall, there were 17,334 players registered under Hockey Nova Scotia for the 2022-23 season — up more than 800 skaters compared to the 2012-13 season. 

The leagues in the Halifax area might be struggling more than other parts of the province because they serve some of the lowest-income households in Nova Scotia, Robinson said.

"So, the good news is that more people are playing. The bad news is that we're not able to capture those at this point in time," he said.

More kids getting grants

A record number of Nova Scotia children are receiving financial support from a non-profit organization that helps children access sports. KidSport Nova Scotia gave $1.2 million to 2,712 kids in 2023, a spokesperson said. That's an increase of $400,000 and 300 children from the previous year.

"We've seen exponential growth in our program over the last year. I think some of it is certainly the cost of living and the rising cost of sport," said Jeff LeDrew, director of marketing and events for Sport Nova Scotia.

KidSport Nova Scotia is a licensed chapter of the national charity and the program is run by Sport Nova Scotia.

A boost in funding from the Nova Scotia government allowed the non-profit to increase grants from $300 to $500 to help families with registration and equipment costs, LeDrew said.

For many years, LeDrew said most of KidSport's funding would go to hockey players but that's changing. He said now more money goes to help children who want to play soccer.

"Is it just the overall cost? We're not sure," LeDrew said.