Effective immediately, the Hockey Canada Board of Directors has announced the departure of chief executive officer Scott Smith. The entire Board has also agreed to step down to make room for a new slate of directors.

An interim management committee will be put in place, which will guide the organization until no later than a newly constituted Board appoints a new CEO to lead the organization.

As outlined in Hockey Canada’s By-Laws, the Board will ask its members to select a new slate of directors by December 17 which is when a virtual election is scheduled.  The Board will not seek re-election and will fulfil its duties until such time as a new Board is elected.

The organization is encouraging qualified individuals to respond to the call for nominations issued by the independent Nominating Committee.

The hockey organization has been under fire since it was revealed in May that it had settled a multi-million-dollar lawsuit launched by a woman who alleged that eight hockey players including members of the 2018 world junior team sexually assaulted her at a hotel in London, Ontario. Hockey Canada used a fund, made partially of player registration fees, to pay the settlement.

In a recent CJWW news poll question 54 per cent of respondents indicated they wanted to keep the organization but keep the leadership, 36 per cent wanted to replace Hockey Canada with a new organization while ten per cent did not.

A news release from the board says the Interim Management Committee will focus on day-to-day operations and ensure progress on the implementation of Hockey Canada’s Action Plan, including full implementation of the independent governance review recommendations from The Honourable Thomas Cromwell, C.C., former Supreme Court Justice.  In addition, they will work on effectively transitioning to a new CEO and Board.