On June 25, 2025, Hockey Canada launched The Shift Forward: Evolving Hockey Culture, a new learning and development program that will be the new home for national education and training courses.

The Shift Forward is an enhanced education program that was created to understand how education and training can better support participants and the key objective of changing unhealthy behaviours in the game.

The course will be available online for Hockey Nova Scotia members beginning on July 2, 2025 through their Volunteer Requirements page.

For the 2025-2026 season, the program is launching for Coaches and Rostered staff.  (Any individual who becomes rostered for a season who may not be coach. These individuals could include positions like Managers, Safety Person(s), Equipment Managers.) 

In an effort to support a successful transition to The Shift Forward, Hockey Canada will continue to recognize existing training as an equivalent as part of a multi-year phase before all participants engaging with hockey will be required to participate in the national education and training courses.