Skate Canada has announced that it will no longer hold major events in Alberta due to the province’s anti-trans legislation, setting a large precedent going forward for other sporting organizations.
In late 2025, the national governing body of competitive figure skating in Canada announced that it will no longer hold major events in Alberta following the enactment of the province’s Fairness and Safety in Sport Act, which permits only athletes assigned female at birth to compete in women’s sports.
“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 mid-December statement.
Skate Canada actually has a long history of being queer- and trans-inclusive. Back in 2022, it changed its competitive definition of “team” to refer to “two skaters” as opposed to a man and a woman. The organization also allows trans skaters to compete in their chosen gender category, and skaters are not required to disclose if they are trans.
Alberta premier Danielle Smith—the lead booster of her province’s anti-trans policies—was predictably unhappy with the move, calling it “disgraceful” and demanding that Skate Canada apologize.
We break down why this sets a precedent, from local sports organizations all the way to the Olympics.
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