Women's Para Hockey of Canada launches campaign to raise $1M in funding for national women's program

Women's Para Hockey of Canada, an organization that oversees the national women's Para hockey program, launched a campaign on Wednesday to raise funding from Canada's corporate community.

The "Sticks In" campaign aims to raise $1 million to fully fund the national women's program for the first time in history.

The Canadian women's Para hockey team receives no funding from Hockey Canada. The program is run entirely by volunteers and has relied on fundraising campaigns and donations to help pay for equipment, event fees and travel expenses.

The organization published an open letter addressed to corporate Canada, with signatures from president Janice Coulter, head coach Tara Chisholm and athlete representative Tracey Arnold.

"Our Canadian women's national Para hockey team which is not funded by Hockey Canada looks to advance the sport of Para hockey so that women can have the same opportunities as men with disabilities," the organization said.

"Our ask of $1 million may seem like a lot of money when in reality it is less than 0.5 per cent of the amount that brands invest in amateur sport across Canada. We aim to achieve something that's never been done before — for the first time in history the core programming of our women's national team would be fully funded. This is irrefutably and unequivocally aligned with everything that sponsors, the hockey community and the general public are demanding."

Canadian Tire stepped up as the campaign's first sponsor on Wednesday while encouraging other corporations to join in.

Women's Para Hockey of Canada said the funding would help support the ultimate goal of establishing women's Para hockey as a Paralympic sport.

While Para hockey is technically a mixed sport at the Paralympic level, only three female players have ever competed in the tournament. The sport is governed by the International Paralympic Committee through the World Para Ice Hockey organization, which hopes to have a women's tournament added to the Paralympic program for the 2030 Games.

The Canadian women's team took part in the inaugural Para Ice Hockey Women's World Challenge in August, a tournament that will help pave the way for the sport's global growth, which is essential for the establishment of a women's world championship.

WATCH | Head coach Tara Chisholm on what's next for women's Para hockey:

What’s next for Women’s Para Ice Hockey?

2 years ago

Duration 5:04

Host Jacqueline Doorey is joined by Canada women's para ice hockey head coach Tara Chisholm to discuss the first ever World Challenge tournament and what's next for women's para ice hockey.

The open letter from Women's Para Hockey of Canada calls on corporations to support the movement for more inclusivity in the sport, saying it believes hockey should represent the diversity of Canada.

"Over the past several months the conversation around hockey has been changing for the better. We are so encouraged by the corporate sponsor community in particular, who have spoken out and demanded change," the organization said. 

While Canada's national women's team is breaking down barriers and progressing toward Paralympic inclusion, it knows the path would be a lot easier with the much-needed help from sponsors.

"We are self-funded today and we have succeeded in realizing systems change in hockey. Imagine what is possible if we get the support that sponsors have expressed wanting to provide," the organization said.

WATCH | Women's Para hockey team calls for equal funding after sweater mishap:

Women's Para hockey calls for equal funding after sweater mishap

2 years ago

Duration 2:18

The national women’s Para hockey team is calling for equal funding, and treatment, from Hockey Canada, saying they were given recycled jerseys that had originally been made for the national women’s stand-up team in 2018.