The Shift Forward
Heading into the 2026-2027 Hockey Canada will be launching The Shift Forward: Evolving Hockey Culture, a new learning and development program that is the home for national education and training with courses for coaches & parents/guardians.
The Shift Forward is an enhanced education program that was created following an extensive consultation process with stakeholders in Hockey Canada-sanctioned programs to understand how education and training can better support participants and the key objective of changing unhealthy behaviors in the game.
As part of the response from the national Training Needs Analysis that was conducted by Hockey Canada, there was overwhelming feedback that national education and training courses should be age-appropriate, modernized, engaging, specific to how participants engage with hockey, and progressive as they go through their hockey journey, with content that seeks to evolve the culture of hockey on and off the ice.
In an effort to support a successful transition to The Shift Forward, Hockey Canada & Hockey Alberta continue to recognize existing Respect in Sport Certification for duration of each individuals expiry.
The evolution to The Shift Forward reflects our proactive aspirations to shape a healthier hockey for all involved in our National Winter Sport, and we look forward to this new era in education and training for hockey participants.
