Committee tasked with promoting hockey in Quebec says game should be ‘national’ sport

A committee established by the Quebec government to promote hockey in the province says the sport needs to be more affordable.

The committee, headed by former Montreal Canadiens goalie Marc Denis, is recommending the government create tax credits that would make it easier for lower-income families to take part in the game.

Quebec Premier François Legault tasked Denis last November to come up with ways to increase Quebecers’ interest in hockey and to grow the number of Quebecers in the NHL. Legault lamented at the time that there were fewer young people in the province interested in hockey compared with prior generations.

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Denis’s committee is also recommending Quebec make hockey its national sport.

He says that promoting women’s hockey is a priority and that equitable resources should be provided to male and female hockey programs.

The committee is also calling for the government to fund university hockey, establish a university hockey league and create hockey bursaries for student athletes.

Other recommendations include adding skating lessons to school gym classes, creating a registry of hockey infrastructure across the province and building more rinks.