Play On! Canada is entering a deliberate and necessary new chapter.
For many years, Play On! delivered consistent, recognizable street hockey events in communities across the country. That work helped introduce thousands of Canadians to accessible play and community connection. But Canada has changed—and so have the conditions required for national programs to thrive.
Communities today are facing affordability pressures, social disconnection, declining volunteer capacity, and growing skepticism toward “one-size-fits-all” national events. Familiar formats no longer generate the same energy or sense of ownership they once did. Rather than push forward unchanged, Play On! has chosen to pause, listen, and rebuild.
This is not a step back. It is a reset by design.
Between 2025 and 2026, Play On! Canada is re-engineering its business model, re-imagining its events, and restructuring its organization to ensure long-term relevance, sustainability, and impact. The goal is not simply to run more events, but to create deeper value for communities and partners alike.
At the heart of this reset is a simple belief:
Canada doesn’t need bigger sports experiences—it needs more meaningful ones.
What’s Changing
From touring to community-rooted:
Events will be designed with local leadership, local partners, and flexible formats that reflect each community’s reality.
From attendance to participation:
Canadians will be invited to help shape Play On!—as hosts, volunteers, mentors, and co-creators—not just participants.
From repetition to renewal:
The Play On! experience will feel familiar enough to trust, but new enough to excite—lighter, more inclusive, and more human.
From short-term delivery to long-term sustainability:
The business model is being rebuilt to ensure financial resilience, equitable access, and stronger alignment with partner goals.
Why This Matters Now
Canada is experiencing a moment of strain and fragmentation. People are tired, cautious, and increasingly selective about where they invest their time and energy. Yet the need for connection—especially simple, low-barrier, community-based connection—has never been greater.
Street hockey remains one of Canada’s most powerful shared languages. When done right, it removes barriers, invites belonging, and brings people together across age, culture, income, and geography.
Play On!’s reset is about reclaiming that power—and using it responsibly.
An Invitation to Partners
This next chapter is not something Play On! intends to build alone.
Partners and funders are invited to support a model that:
Responds directly to Canada’s current social realities
Prioritizes accessibility, inclusion, and community ownership
Measures success by connection and impact, not just scale
Together, we can help ensure Play On! doesn’t just continue—but thrives as a renewed, trusted platform for bringing Canadians together, one street at a time.