NOHA Strengthens Governance and Protects Player Access with Two Landmark Changes at Annual General Meeting

New measures affirm member accountability and guarantee fair House League registration for every eligible player across Northeastern Ontario

NORTH BAY, ON — The Northern Ontario Hockey Association (NOHA) is pleased to announce two significant changes approved by its membership at the 2026 Annual General Meeting, held in Sault Ste. Marie. The changes establish a mandatory attendance standard for the Annual Meeting and create the NOHA’s first territory-wide regulation governing House League registration. Together, they reflect the Association’s commitment to stronger governance, greater consistency, and expanded access to hockey for families across Northeastern Ontario.

CHANGE ONE: Annual Meeting Attendance is Now a Condition of Membership

Effective immediately, all Minor Hockey Associations, Leagues, and Single Entry Teams registered with the NOHA are required to send at least one authorized delegate to the NOHA Annual General Meeting each season. That delegate must hold an elected or appointed position within their member organization.

Member Associations that do not attend without an approved exemption will be subject to an administrative cost set by the NOHA Board of Directors. Repeated absences may result in the suspension of voting privileges and a review of membership status.

Why this matters:

The Annual General Meeting is where By-laws are amended, regulations are debated, programs are approved, and the direction of hockey across the NOHA’s roughly 800,000 km² territory is set. Every decision made at that table affects participants, families, and communities.

When a Member Association is absent, it is not only missing from the conversation, it is leaving the players and families it represents without a voice on decisions that directly affect them. This By-law makes clear that showing up is part of what membership means.

“This Association is built on the idea that every community in Northeastern Ontario has a voice. The Annual General Meeting is where that voice gets used. We are simply asking our members to use it.”— Steve Lawrence, President, Northern Ontario Hockey Association

CHANGE TWO: Every Eligible Player Has the Right to Register for House League Hockey

The NOHA has adopted Regulation 3.2, establishing a clear, enforceable standard for House League registration across all member associations and all divisions from U7 through U18.

The key provisions are:

Registration dates must be published in advance. Every MHA must establish a formal registration period with a defined opening and closing date, approved by its Board, and must publish those dates at least 30 days before registration opens. Publication must include the MHA’s website, its social media platforms, and direct communication to all families who registered the previous season. Dates must also be submitted to the NOHA Executive Director and the applicable District Council Director.

No eligible player can be turned away during the registration window. Any player who submits a complete House League registration application within their MHA’s published period must be accepted, provided they meet age, residency, and eligibility requirements. No MHA may refuse, defer, or constructively deny registration on the basis of a player’s perceived skill level, their history with a previous team, or any pre-registration activity they did or did not participate in.

Capacity cannot be used as a reason to close the door. Where registrations exceed team capacity, the MHA must still accept the registration and work with NOHA staff to find solutions, whether that be through additional team formation, affiliate arrangements, or placement in a neighbouring Association. Registration cannot be closed early without the prior written approval of both the NOHA Executive Director and the District Council Director for that MHA’s District.

A fair process exists for MHAs with genuine ice constraints. The NOHA recognizes that some communities across the territory face real limitations on available ice time. Where that is the case, an MHA may apply for an approved seasonal capacity limit, supported by documentation of actual ice allocations and efforts made to secure additional time. If approved, any registrants above that capacity must be placed on a waitlist and actively supported toward an alternative placement. They may not simply be turned away.

Why this matters:

Across the NOHA territory, the Association has received a growing number of reports from families who were turned away from House League hockey, sometimes without explanation, sometimes citing capacity, and sometimes through practices that effectively screened players before they ever had a chance to register.

House League is where most children begin their hockey experience. It is where participants are introduced to the game, where lifelong habits and connections are formed, and where the NOHA’s values around inclusion, fairness, and community are either demonstrated or abandoned. If a child cannot get through the registration door, everything else the NOHA does to grow and improve the game is irrelevant to that family.

This regulation also directly supports the NOHA’s 2025 Strategic Plan target of 25% participation growth by 2035. That target cannot be achieved if eligible players are being turned away at the point of entry. Consistent, transparent, enforceable registration standards are not a procedural detail. They are a foundation of the Association’s growth strategy.

Families or coaches with questions or concerns about House League registration practices in their community are encouraged to contact their District Council Director.

“House League is where most children start in this game. If we lose them at registration before they ever lace up, we do not get them back. This regulation is about making sure that does not happen. Every family across Northeastern Ontario, regardless of where they live or how long they have been involved in hockey, deserves a clear and predictable path to the ice.” — Jason Marchand, Executive Director, Northern Ontario Hockey Association

For the full list of proposed amendments and decisions from the 2026 NOHA Annual General Meeting, please visit ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING | Northern Ontario Hockey Association.

Media Contact:

Jason Marchand

Executive Director, Northern Ontario Hockey Association

705-474-8851 x101 jmarchand@noha-hockey.ca