Skate Canada pulls out of Alberta after province bans trans women from women’s skating

Skate Canada, the national governing body for figure skating in Canada, announced Tuesday that they will not schedule future national and international events in Alberta due to a provincial law that bans transgender girls and women from girls and women’s sports in the province.

“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,” the organization said in a written statement.

The nation’s Secretary of State for Sports,  Adam van Koeverden, backed up Skate Canada’s decision while citing that the governing body is independent of the federal government.

“Our government believes in a sport system that provides opportunities for all Canadians to participate and excel without discrimination,” van Koeverden stated. “Including the transgender community, which is disproportionately vulnerable, excluded and marginalized.”

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The law itself took effect on September 1. The legislation mandates all girls over 12 seeking to compete in sports to provide documentation proving they are cisgender females.

The ruling party in the province, the United Conservative Party, put forth this bill along with legislation that bans gender-affirming health care from trans youth under 16 and says parental permission must be obtained for a child under 16 to be referred to be different name in schools.

Skate Canada held their Challenge event in Calgary last month as part of the 2025-2026 season. The national championships were held in the city in 2024.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith criticized Skate Canada’s action via X.com

“Skate Canada‘s refusal to hold events in Alberta because we choose to protect women and girls in sport is disgraceful,” Smith argued. “We expect they 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.”

The governing body’s current transgender policy allows for a skater to compete in the gender by which they identify. For a national level and elite competition, Skate Canada follows International Skating Union regulations.

The ISU established a two-tier policy in 2023. A transgender female skater who transitioned before age of 12 must maintain the serum testosterone level 2.5 nanomoles per liter for at least 12 months prior to competition. A transgender female skater who transitioned after the age of 12 must maintain that same level for two years before they’re allowed to compete in a women’s event.

Queer Two-time Olympian and three-time ice dancing world medalist Kaitlyn Weaver applauded Skate Canada’s decision.

“Figure skating should be for everyone, and that is Skate Canada’s deepest belief,” Weaver said to CBC News. “That’s my deepest belief as someone who is Canadian and as someone who loves the sport so much.”

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