Hoopla cancelled as Saskatchewan teachers continue labour dispute with province

REGINA – Saskatchewan’s provincial high school basketball championship has been cancelled due to an escalating labour dispute between teachers and the government.

The Saskatchewan High Schools Athletic Association says the tournament called Hoopla can’t go ahead, as teachers are the backbone of the event and have withdrawn from extracurricular activities on Thursday and Friday.

The tournament, which draws hundreds of student athletes and thousands of fans, was to start Thursday in Moose Jaw.

The Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation and the province have been at an impasse over whether issues including classroom sizes and supports should be in the contract.

Teachers want them in; the province does not.

To make up for the cancellation, the athletic association says it plans to hold a one-day basketball championship for all qualifying Hoopla teams on Saturday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 20, 2024.