the shift forward program

While current RESPECT IN SPORT certifications remain valid, BC Hockey encourages individuals to complete The Shift Forward early to benefit from the updated and relevant educational content .For additional information on The Shift Forward from Hockey Canada, click HERE.

Hockey Canada has introduced a new national education and training program called The Shift Forward: Evolving Hockey Culture. In British Columbia and Yukon, this program will replace Respect in Sport.

THE SHIFT FORWARD is Hockey Canada’s new modernized training platform for coaches, officials, volunteers, parents, and guardians. The program features age-appropriate and role-specific content designed to support positive experiences in hockey and address unhealthy behaviours both on-and-off the ice.

* For bench staff and volunteers, The Shift Forward certification is valid for five years.

The Shift Forward offers a parent program. While this is not mandatory by BC Hockey, there are some Districts and MHAs that require it. We recommend contacting your local MHA or District for more information.

While current Respect in Sport certifications remain valid, BC Hockey encourages individuals to complete The Shift Forward early to benefit from the updated and relevant educational content.For additional information on The Shift Forward from Hockey Canada, click HERE.

To complete your certification through The Shift Forward, use the links below:

New members, volunteers, and bench staff: click HERE.

Parents and guardians: click HERE.

Click Here for More Information on The Shift Forward

The Shift Forward: Evolving Hockey Culture

On April 1, 2026, Hockey Canada will expand The Shift Forward: Evolving Hockey Culture, a new learning and development program that is the home for national education and training courses.
The program was piloted with five Members for the 2025-26 season and will expand to 12 Members in 2026-27, with courses for new coaches, rostered staff, officials, and parents and 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 behaviours 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 will continue to recognize existing certification—including Respect in Sport—as an equivalent as part of a multi-year phased in approach before all participants engaging with hockey will be required to complete The Shift Forward beginning in the 2028-29 season.
To ensure the new national content is achieving its desired impact, Hockey Canada is committed to working with the 13 Members and their membership to evaluate The Shift Forward through surveys and other participant-driven methods of feedback.
Hockey Canada has also created a Frequently Asked Questions document for our website to answer any questions you may have about the transition to this new national platform.
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.

Q: If I have previously taken the Respect in Sport Courses or Speak Out training, will I
need to take this new program?
A: The Shift Forward will be become mandatory to complete starting in the 2028-29
season. This means that Hockey Canada and its Members will recognize existing training
(Respect in Sport and/or Speak Out) until the conclusion of the 2027-28 season.

Q: Who is The Shift Forward for?
A: For the 2026-27 season, The Shift Forward is launching for coaches, rostered staff,
parents/guardians and officials. Each individual Member is required to determine which
participants in their environment are required to complete for this season. If you have
questions on if you need to complete the program, please contact your Member directly.

Q: Who is a rostered staff?
A: Any individual who becomes rostered for a season who may not be coach. These
individuals could include positions like managers, safety person(s), and equipment
managers. If you are unsure if you are required to take The Shift Forward, please contact your Board for clarification.

Q: What happens if I have multiple roles within hockey (coach and parent/guardian or
official and rostered staff, etc.)? Will I need to take the course multiple times?
A: As the curriculum is being built to have tailored and specific education for different
audiences in hockey, there will be the need to take portions of the education that are
specific to the roles that a participant holds in hockey. To simplify, if the participant is a
coach and an official, they would be required to take The Shift Forward for coaches and
the officials version of the content that was not already covered in the coach version.
This allows them to take role relevant content, while minimizing the amount of repeated content.

Q: If I took a Respect in Sport course (Activity Leader and/or Parent) for another sport,
will that be accepted by Hockey Canada and its Members?
A: Previous training such as Respect in Sport courses will be accepted by Hockey Canada
and its Members until the conclusion of the 2027-28 hockey season. For the 2028-29
hockey season, The Shift Forward will be required for participation.