New Hockey Canada dressing room policy met with confusion in Windsor-Essex

A new Hockey Canada policy requiring players to wear "minimum attire" to hockey rinks is being met with confusion by local hockey associations in Windsor-Essex. 

Hockey Canada's new policy, introduced for the 2023-24 hockey season, states that players must be wearing "minimum attire" at all times in a dressing room or places where more than one participant is present.

This means that participants should arrive at the rink wearing a base layer — like shorts and t-shirt, compression shorts and shirt or sports bra — according to the policy. Anyone arriving without it will need to put it on privately, like in a washroom stall.  

The move is a bid to improve inclusivity for all players, regardless of gender identity, religious beliefs or body image concerns, Hockey Canada told CBC News. 

But some local minor hockey associations in Windsor-Essex told CBC they're still unclear on the policy, or don't see how it differs from current practice. 

Three local minor hockey associations declined to be interviewed but provided statements to CBC News, while others didn't respond. 

"We don't have any clear reasoning from Hockey Canada or the OMHA (Ontario Minor Hockey Association) as to why this rule was needed and we are struggling to understand how the rule can be enforced," said Kipp Van Kuren, president of the Windsor Minor Hockey Association.

The presidents of Riverside Minor Hockey and Belle River District Minor hockey said they haven't received information from their governing bodies and therefore couldn't yet comment. 

But current Ontario Hockey Federation policies already encourage players to wear a base layer to the changing room, said Phillip McKee, executive director of the Ontario Hockey Federation — while Hockey Canada's new policy makes it mandatory. 

"If there's ever a request of accommodation required — and that has to be kept confidential — then you automatically pretty much go to the minimum attire requirements," he said. "How you get to that point is dealt with by each team."

McKee said they're working with Hockey Canada to address the difference between the policies and will release more information and an updated policy when possible. 

The Ontario Hockey Federation currently offers gender in sport training, three sessions of which are coming up in the next few weeks. 

Amherstburg Minor Hockey president Wes Ewer said he doesn't believe any new policies are necessary. 

"This hasn't been something necessarily that we've needed to address as an association or do anything outside of the normal practices that we follow," he said. "The Libro Centre in Amherstburg is already set up with a bathroom with a stall door in every dressing room that is in the facility.

"So accommodations are already available to players that want to utilize [them]."

Ewer said for practicality reasons, many parents already bring their kids to the rink wearing their base layer. But he also said he was unclear on how the rule would be enforced. 

Hockey Canada's new policy was discussed at a board meeting on Tuesday evening. He says many parents, especially those with multiple kids playing hockey, already bring their kids to the rink wearing their base layers. But an issue could arise when when older players wear suits or shower post-game, he says. 

But the current guidance they've received from OHF is "keep doing what you're doing essentially," Ewer said. 

"I think at the end of the day it speaks to inclusion in the sport," Ewer said. "Anything we can do to be as inclusive as possible as possible is ultimately the goal."