Games cancelled as referee staffing drops by 50% in some provinces: Hockey Canada

Staffing shortages have been an issue for many industries during the COVID-19 pandemic, and Canada’s game is no different.

Officials say a shrinking workforce has put minor hockey on thin ice across the country.

“Games are having to be cancelled,” says Dan Hanoomansingh, manager of officiating for Hockey Canada. “Especially in more rural areas where there weren’t as many officials to begin with.”

Referee staffing has plummeted since the onset of the pandemic. Hockey Canada estimates that Ontario and Quebec have lost as many as half of their referees, while British Columbia is down by 30 per cent.

“It certainly touches every area of the country and every level of the game, right down from the grassroots U7, U9 all the way up to university levels of hockey,” says Hanoomansingh.

The officials that have returned to the rink are getting a lot more icetime than usual. Some referees are now being asked to work as many as six games in a weekend, with the option to stay on for even more games if they have the energy. Higher level games that would normally have two referees and two linesmen are now being officiated with just two skaters.

“I think some guys are getting a hard time from there wives about going out to ref, especially younger kids who aren’t yet vaccinated like the 12 and under,” says Bruce Tennant, who has more than 45 years of refereeing experience. “Some guys took 18 months off and they don’t want to come back to play.”

Retaining officials is a long-standing issue for Hockey Canada, especially for those just starting to don the stripes.

“We have no issue recruiting new officials,” says Hanoomansingh. “But officials in that age 12 to 17 bracket, the number one thing that’s driving them out of hockey is the verbal abuse.”

Hanoomansingh has been a referee for several years himself. He’s hoping players and parents can show a little more patience with officials as they work to get staffing levels back up.

“If you see an official in the rink…chances are they’re working a lot of games. They’re working hard and they’re working more than they would have otherwise. So, obviously at all times we want to treat the officials with respect, but especially in this case. If you have the ability to show gratitude and say ‘hey, thanks for coming out, we appreciate it’ that makes a big difference.”