Hockey Nova Scotia today announced the Future of Hockey Lab; to identify, support and advance community-based initiatives to help make hockey more welcoming and equitable. Partnering with Jumpstart, Scotiabank, Bauer and Hockey Canada, the Future of Hockey Lab will create and test programs to achieve these objectives with proven methods scaled for broader impact across Canada and potentially in international markets.

“Our current organized hockey system works well, but it supports only a small number of communities,” said Amy Walsh, Executive Director of Hockey Nova Scotia and Co-Founder of the Future of Hockey Lab. “We need to think differently to ensure there is a place for everyone, and the Future of Hockey Lab will do this by taking a community-first approach.”

Nova Scotia will be the testing ground for the Future of Hockey Lab for the first five years, with Walsh and Co-Founder Carolyn Townsend leading the initiative. Volta, Canada’s East Coast Innovation Hub, will host the lab as it advances three main workstreams. These activities include identifying new approaches to address existing problems, scaling existing solutions to positively impact a broader range of people, and prototyping untested ideas.

“If Canada wants to be the best in the world at hockey, Hockey Canada needs to be the best in the world at ensuring there are opportunities for everyone to participate,” said Scott Smith, President and Chief Operating Officer of Hockey Canada. “This lab aligns with our broader efforts around growth and retention as we become intentional about exploring pilots throughout the country in an effort to establish program models that can be adapted at a national level including creating a more inclusive environment as we strive to make hockey more!”

Hockey has proven to be a powerful tool to create better futures and outcomes for participants, and the lab is also designed to explore intentionality around social development. This will be done through experimentation and prototyping in communities across Nova Scotia. The learning that is generated will be open source for other sport organizations around the world to utilize.

“This first-of-its kind initiative will engage with a broad spectrum of potential participants to find meaningful ways to create safe and inclusive spaces, not only throughout Hockey Nova Scotia, but over time in hockey programs across the country,” says Marco Di Buono, Associate Vice President, Operations & Programs with Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities.

“Inclusivity in hockey begins at the grassroots level, and the Future of Hockey Lab is a ground-breaking initiative that will help to ensure there is a place for all Canadians in the sport,” said Laura Curtis Ferrera, SVP and Chief Marketing Officer, Scotiabank. “Young people from across the country need to see themselves reflected in the game. Scotiabank is committed to realizing a better future for hockey, and this is just the first of many steps we are taking to help make hockey more diverse, inclusive and accessible for all.”

Mary Kay Messier, Vice President, Global Marketing for Bauer Hockey says, “We know that when you step foot in a hockey arena today it doesn’t look like the rest of society, and we need that to change. Our game is valuable as a way to make lifelong friends, build character and understand the importance of teamwork. I’m excited about the Future of Hockey Lab because we know a more diverse game will help strengthen our communities and ensure the long-term health of our sport.”

The Future of Hockey Lab’s Board of Mentors is comprised of diverse and highly accomplished thought leaders, spanning innovation, academic, corporate, not-for-profit, and sports sectors:

- Michael Bach, Founder and Chair of the Board of Directors, Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion
- Justin Bobb, Director, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment (MLSE)
- Dr. Marco Di Buono, PhD, Associate Vice President of Programs & Operations, Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities
- Arnie Farrell, Chair of the Board of Directors, Hockey Nova Scotia
- Lisa Ferkul, Director, Global Sponsorship Marketing (Hockey), Scotiabank
- Dana Gladstone, Vice President, Partnership Strategy, Hockey Canada
- Rob Knesaurek, Group Vice President, NHL
- Mary-Kay Messier, Vice President, Global Marketing, Bauer
- Dr. Richard Norman, PhD, Post Doctoral Fellow, Ryerson University
- Sonia Sennik, Executive Director, Creative Destruction Lab

For biographies, photos and to learn more about the Future of Hockey Lab, visit www.futureofhockeylab.com.