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Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee

In October 2021, Hockey Alberta created a Task Force on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion to review and build recommendations with respect to addressing racism in hockey and making the sport more diverse and inclusive for all Albertans. The task force has now been instated as a full-time committee of Hockey Alberta. The committee will focus on creating opportunities to:

  • Promote a culture of equity, diversity and inclusion while balancing the spirit of the game.
  • Review current environmental and societal trends and their possible relationship to amateur hockey, and advise on potential solutions and next steps to help mitigate or support the trends.
  • Identify best practices to ensure the experience within hockey is equitable, inclusive, safe and fun.
  • Review, understand and highlight the experiences of players related to inclusion including factors that contribute to negative experience, prejudices, and feelings of exclusion (i.e.; discrimination, racism, harassment, bullying etc.).
  • Establish an implementation plan to educate and inform associations, teams, coaches and parents about concepts, processes and best practices related to equity, diversity and inclusion.

Hockey Alberta’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Survey


In 2022, Hockey Alberta’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee undertook an Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Survey.

The purpose of the survey was to better understand the experiences in hockey of as many current and former players, coaches, family members, and other participants and stakeholders as possible. Hockey Alberta wanted to gather feedback on hockey experiences, learn about what can be improved, and collect recommendations that could be implemented to improve the game.

The survey was built to gain perspectives of those in the game, those that may have left the game and those that were reluctant or unable to participate in the game due to a lack of inclusion. This information provided important data, feedback and recommendations to better understand the current environment and use the findings to make the sport more inclusive.

EDI Survey Summary of Results >

EDI Survey Infographic Report >

EDI Committee Survey Report >

Anton Joseph - Calgary

Committee Chair

Anton holds a Master’s Degree from University of Fredericton, as well as degrees in Kinesiology and Business Administration from Minot State University, and a specialization in organizational equity, diversity, and inclusion from Rice University. He is an Alberta Sports Hall of Fame member with over 30 years coaching experience in the Sport and Fitness Industry, and 27 years as a business owner. He is a former Canadian Junior Football general manager, track and field development coach and participated on scholarship in football and track and field at the US college level. Anton has served on and acted as chair to a number of sport and fitness organization boards over his career. 

Sanjeev Bhagrath - Edmonton 

Sanjeev has been a hockey official for more than 25 years, working as a referee in U-Sport, College, and the AJHL. He is a Level 5 official who has worked as an instructor, supervisor and mentor to younger officials, and volunteered with North Region officials. Officiating has provided Sanjeev with great opportunities and experiences, including working league finals and making lifelong friends. But during his career as an official, he has encountered many forms of racism from players, coaches and fans at all levels of hockey. In the summer of 2020, he spoke out against the racism that he has encountered, pointing out that hockey is not immune from this. Shortly after speaking out, Sanjeev created the Officials’ Diversity Committee to foster diversity, inclusivity, and equality in the game of hockey. The committee’s slogan is “making the call on equality”. 

Devin Buffalo - Wetaskiwin

Devin is from Samson Cree Nation, and played junior hockey in Flin Flon, Manitoba, and for the Drumheller Dragons in the AJHL. After his junior hockey career concluded, he played four years at Dartmouth College followed by various teams in the ECHL. Devin is now a law student at the University of Alberta, and he is committed to making real change in hockey at the grassroots and league levels. His passion project is Waniska Athletics, which consists of motivational speaking, and goalie camps with a goal to motivate Indigenous youth to raise the bar for themselves.

Alicia Souveny - Edmonton

Alicia is a physiotherapist at the Stollery Children’s Hospital in Edmonton. Alicia has had a love of sport all her life - she grew up playing soccer but is also an avid skier, swimmer, cyclist, slo-pitch player, and is an aspiring golfer. She has spent seven seasons working as a team therapist for minor hockey teams in Edmonton with the South Side Athletic Club. In 2019, Alicia was involved in a motor vehicle collision that resulted in her becoming a left below knee amputee. Becoming a member of the disabled community has broadened Alicia’s views on sports and accessibility. She has a passion for safety and equity for all athletes and firmly believes sports should be accessible for everyone. She participates in para-swimming and para-hockey. She recently made the Women’s National Para-Ice Hockey team where she will have the opportunity to represent Canada at the World Championship at the end of August.

Sameena Siddiqui - Calgary

Bio coming soon.

Angela (Ange) Epp (Burke) - Calgary

Hailing from Whitehorse, Yukon, on the traditional lands of the Kwanlin Dün First Nation and the Ta’an Kwäch’än Council, Ange grew up playing predominantly boys’ minor hockey. She represented Team Yukon Women’s hockey at the Arctic Winter Games (2006, 2008, 2010) and the Canada Winter Games (2009). Her hockey career includes playing for the University of Lethbridge Women’s Hockey team from 2010-2015 and being drafted into the Canadian Women’s Hockey League (CWHL) in 2017. As a member of the invisible disabilities community, Ange lives with multiple lifelong mental health conditions, including PTSD stemming from maltreatment in hockey environments. These experiences inspire her commitment to educating others about trauma-informed practices, promoting understanding of mental health, and preventing maltreatment. Ange is a master’s-level graduate student in her final year of the School & Applied Child Psychology program at the University of Calgary. With her lived experiences and growing expertise, she is committed to promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion in hockey and beyond. Ange continues to play in the Southern Alberta Women’s Hockey Association (SAWHA) tier-one division, where her love for the sport remains strong as she advocates for meaningful change.
 

Chanel Hykaway - Calgary

Graduated from the University of Calgary with a Bachelor of Arts degree – Sociology, with a concentration in Structured Inequality.  She is a member of the 2SLGBTQI+ community.  She played for the inaugural Mount Royal University Female Cougars hockey team and for the University of Calgary Dinos.  When she is not at the rink coaching hockey, she working away at a book about memory.

Black History Month - featuring Anton Joseph, Chair Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Task Force