Skate Canada to stop hosting events in Alberta due to sports gender law

EDMONTON — Canada’s governing body for figure skating says Alberta is now a no-go zone for national and international events because of its law on transgender athletes.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith called the organization’s refusal to hold events in the province “disgraceful” and said her government expects an apology.

Skate Canada, in a statement Tuesday, said its new policy is due to the provincial law — the Fairness and Safety in Sport Act — that prohibits transgender athletes from participating in female-only sports.

The law, which came into effect Sept. 1, blocks transgender athletes from Alberta who are 12 and older from competing in female amateur sports.

Skate Canada said the decision comes after long consideration.

“Skate Canada considers a variety of criteria when selecting host locations for its national events,” the statement said.

“Following a careful assessment of Alberta’s Fairness and Safety in Sport Act, Skate Canada has determined that we are unable to host events in the province while maintaining our national standards for safe and inclusive sport.”

Smith, on social media, accused the organization of refusing to hold events in Alberta “because we choose to protect women and girls in sport.”

“We expect (Skate Canada) will apologize and adjust their policies once they realize they are not only compromising the fairness and safety of their athletes, but are also offside with the international community, including the International Olympic Committee, which is moving in the same direction as Alberta.”

She said her United Conservative Party government’s view reflects common sense and popular opinion.

Alberta Sport Minister Andrew Boitchenko echoed the premier’s remarks, saying provincial rules keep girls safe and competitions fair.

“No athlete should have an unfair advantage, and no athlete should have to put themselves at risk of harm to participate in the sports they love,” Boitchenko said in a statement.

“To Alberta’s figure skaters — please know that our government supports your right to compete safely and fairly, even if your national sport organization won’t.”

Skate Canada said the decision doesn’t prevent Alberta athletes from participating in its programming or competitions.

No upcoming national or international events are scheduled to be held in Alberta. The 2025-26 Skate Canada Challenge was held in Calgary last month, and the city also hosted the 2024 national championships.

The Fairness and Safety in Sport Act is one of three Alberta laws affecting transgender people passed last year by Smith’s government. The other laws prohibit doctors from prescribing puberty blockers and hormone therapy to those under 16 and require parental permission for students under 16 to change their names or pronouns at school.

The laws polarized debate and sparked legal challenges, prompting the government earlier this month to invoke the Charter’s notwithstanding clause on all three to prevent them from being overturned in court.

Proponents, including Smith, have said the laws protect children and the sports legislation is specifically about making sure girls are not battling opponents with biological advantages. Detractors say the laws are about stigmatizing and punishing those in the transgender community to appease members of Smith’s party.

Regulations under the sports act allow transgender athletes from outside the province to compete in Alberta. Boitchenko’s ministry has said it doesn’t have the authority to regulate athletes from different jurisdictions.

Skate Canada said it will reassess its Alberta event ban if circumstances change.

The organization’s transgender inclusion policy states it’s “fully committed to providing a safe, welcoming, and respectful environment for all, regardless of any actual or perceived differences based on race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, age, language, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, or disability.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 16, 2025.

— With files from Daniel Rainbird in Montreal