Hockey organizers are asking the B.C. government to fix “aging and inadequate” infrastructure they say is barring children from participating in Canada’s favourite sport.

And the governing body for amateur hockey in B.C. said the NHL and its players’ association might be willing to contribute cash to a government plan to fix and build rinks.

Last month, Hockey Canada and member association B.C. Hockey registered as lobbyists in the province to discuss improving hockey infrastructure.

Cameron Hope, the CEO for B.C. Hockey, said facility closures and growing interest in the game have culminated in a chronic shortage of available rinks across the province.

“About half of the associations in B.C. have reported to us that in at least one age category they have a waiting list, because they just don’t have enough ice,” Hope said in an interview. “We’ve got 11-year-olds suiting up at five in the morning before school because it’s the only time they can get to play.”

Hope and Hockey Canada CEO Katherine Henderson met with B.C. Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport Anne Kang last month to discuss a fix, according to those who attended.

Also present at the meeting, Hope said, were representatives of the NHL and the NHL Players’ Association (NHLPA), who maintain an “Industry Growth Fund” that contributes to hockey infrastructure in member communities across the United States and Canada.

“Everybody’s message is: we’re here,” Hope said.

Hope said the meeting was part of a broader push from Hockey Canada to restore and build new infrastructure across the country.

When they met with the minister, Hope said his organization estimated there were just 257 ice pads in the province for approximately 68,000 registered players, coaches and officials.

He suspects the number of spaces has already gone down. Closures for repairs are common, Hope said, and it often takes months or years before facilities reopen — if they ever do.

“It’s easy to take them offline. It takes a long time to repair them or get the political will or money to get a new facility,” Hope said.

A spokesperson for Kang’s ministry confirmed she met with B.C. Hockey, Hockey Canada, the NHL and the NHLPA.

They said the province “is actively engaging across government and with partners to better understand the infrastructure needs of communities throughout B.C,” but that it hasn’t entered any agreement with Hockey Canada.

Hope said he doesn’t have exact estimates on what it would cost to build or repair the needed rinks.

Ideally, Hope said all levels of government would pitch in to build facilities that also include other community amenities like swimming pools, a task he acknowledges will cost tens of millions of dollars, if not more.

He said Hockey Canada is optimistic the federal government may be willing to help.

“The signal from the federal government appears to be that if we can get some partnerships locally and provincially, we have a green light to start identifying places where we can address this problem,” Hope said.

Hockey Canada, the NHL and the NHLPA did not respond to requests for comment before publication.

More Briefs

Tariffs ruled the lobbying registry in August

Woodland Cree First Nation wants federal recognition of forced relocation

American-owned software firm seeks bigger share of Sask. government business

Montreal police spend $20,000 on Axon robot and accessories over five months