A parliamentary committee has called for extensive reforms to protect athletes from sexual and physical abuse in Canadian sports. The recommendations include mandatory criminal record checks for all officials, coaches, and volunteers, and the creation of a new database to track past complaints, arrests, and convictions.
The Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage also urged the federal government to enhance transparency within national sport organizations. This includes making the salaries and expenses of top executives, as well as all minutes from board meetings, publicly accessible.
“Throughout this study, the committee has observed firsthand the gaps in the system which have allowed for these unacceptable situations to occur,” the final report states, offering more than 20 recommendations. “It has also directly witnessed some of the governance issues affecting many [national sport organizations] across Canada.”
Over the course of two years, the committee heard testimony from more than 100 witnesses, including current and former athletes, sport organization representatives, and experts. Many described a “toxic culture” in sports that prioritizes winning medals and fosters a climate where athletes fear reporting abuse due to shame or the threat of reprisals.
The committee’s investigation began in 2022 in response to Hockey Canada’s quiet settlement of a group sexual assault case, which included a non-disclosure agreement restricting the victim’s public statements. Following this, five former members of Canada’s world junior hockey team were charged with sexual assault related to an incident in London, Ontario, after a Hockey Canada event.
The Hockey Canada scandal revealed that the organization had multiple funds used to settle sexual abuse claims, financed by players’ registration fees without their knowledge. A retired Supreme Court justice found that Hockey Canada had no guidelines for managing these funds, kept details about withdrawals largely off the books, and violated its own disclosure rules by failing to inform members about payouts over $500,000.
The committee’s report recommends that all national sport organizations publicly disclose all funds and their intended uses. These organizations should also adopt transparent guidelines for reserve funds, similar to Hockey Canada’s National Equity Fund and Participants’ Legacy Trust Fund. Information about these funds’ usage must be made “freely available online.”
The report also calls for national sport organizations to publicly list all contractors hired, the value of the contracts, and a declaration of no conflicts of interest. Insurance policies should also be posted publicly. Additionally, the sums of money received from government grants, sponsorships, equity funds, registration fees, development funds, and capital funds should be disclosed. All contracts over $5,000, including travel expenses, should be proactively shared to enhance accountability.
The committee further recommends banning non-disclosure agreements that limit what athletes can say after receiving compensation for abuse. Survivors who have already signed such agreements should be released from them. The report notes that many athletes fear reprisals that could impact their careers, with current Olympic athletes too terrified to speak out.
To better protect whistleblowers, the committee suggests changing the law and establishing a formal, trauma-informed process to investigate sexual and physical abuse and maltreatment. The report also calls for more funding for sport safety and an independent public inquiry into abuse in sports. However, the federal government has opted to launch a three-person commission instead of a public inquiry.
Athletes also highlighted issues of pay equity and the unequal treatment of women’s national teams. Players from Canada’s women’s national soccer team testified that women’s soccer is treated as an “afterthought,” with resources often diverted to men’s teams.
The report urges the government to collaborate with national sport organizations to promote gender equality and diversity and to encourage the appointment of more women and Black, Indigenous, and racialized individuals to leadership roles. Additionally, the committee recommends that Canada’s auditor general audit all sports programs, including the not-for-profit Own the Podium.
According to procedures, the government has five months to respond to the report.