WELCOME TO THE FUTURE OF HOCKEY LAB

We collaborate with diverse communities to discover, test and scale highly innovative ideas.
Our goal is an accessible and positive hockey experience for all who wish to participate.

FOCUS AREAS

The Future of Hockey Lab is committed to values-based social innovation and culture change. Through supporting game-changing ideas and innovations the lab will gather learning and facilitate opportunities to:

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+ Increase participation growth, particularly among racialized persons, Indigenous communities, 2SLGBTQ+ communities, new Canadians, and those with a disability

+ Strengthen retention among current participants

+ ​Broaden diversity through representation at all levels
(coaches, officials, boards, etc.)

+ Foster greater understanding and awareness of diversity,
equity ​and inclusion 

+ ​Be intentional around using hockey as a force for social good 

PATHS TO GET THERE
The Future of Hockey Lab’s cohort program brings together small project teams from across Canada looking to address these focus areas. The cohorts receive the supports they need to gather learning and scale what’s working.
 
The work includes:

IDENTIFYING NEW APPROACHES TO ADDRESS EXISTING PROBLEMS

Sport leaders have known for decades about barriers such as the cost of the sport, parental behaviour, racial slurs, and an over-emphasis on the elite, to name a few. These are complex problems to solve, which is why they still exist. The Future of Hockey Lab is where NEW ideas and approaches can flourish.

SCALING LOCAL SOLUTIONS TO POSITIVELY IMPACT MORE PEOPLE

​There are countless examples of amazing hockey programs from coast to coast. The Black Youth Ice Hockey Program, the Little Native Hockey League ("Little NHL"), and Hockey 4 Youth are some great examples.  The Future of Hockey Lab partners with community to gather learning on the best ways to scale these programs so MORE people can benefit.

​PROTOTYPING EXISTING IDEAS THAT ARE UNTESTED

​Hockey has a wealth of impassioned fans whose dedication to the game is unmatched. One of the benefits of this is the constant source of new ideas. But it can be hard to try new things in a system that is rigid and  comfortably predictable. The Future of Hockey Lab is where those ideas can be revisited, tested, and supported.
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As an incubator for culture change in the game, the Future of Hockey Lab launched its first cohort in November 2021.

in·no·va·tion| ˌinəˈvāSH(ə)n |

​Turns ideas into solutions that add value and make the world a better place.

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Imagine a welcoming environment where there is a safe place for everyone – a future that is better for every participant through sport. ​Sport leaders have wanted this for years but often get stuck on the “how”.
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Let's go for it. Let's discover what can be.

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