Alberta Record

· Order in Council / Proclamation of Fairness and Safety in Sport Act · enacted

Fairness and safety in sport act proclamation

This Order in Council proclaims the Fairness and Safety in Sport Act into force on September 1, 2025, establishing a new legal framework for sport in Alberta.

High impactCentralization of powerInstitutional independenceCivil libertiesThe public, directlyPost-secondary institutions

What changed

  • The Fairness and Safety in Sport Act is brought into legal effect as of September 1, 2025.
  • Makes the Fairness and Safety in Sport Regulation under the Fairness and Safety in Sport Act.
  • Requires provincial sport organizations (PSOs) to include 'female sex at birth' as an eligibility requirement for individuals 12 years or older participating in female-only leagues, classes, or divisions.
  • Mandates PSOs to establish challenge procedures for eligibility, allowing boards to request birth registration documents and make determinations.
  • Requires PSOs to provide information to the Minister of Tourism and Sport regarding challenges and decisions, as well as requests for and establishment of mixed-gender leagues, at specified frequencies.
  • Prescribes a list of over 80 provincial sport organizations, including the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference, that are subject to these new requirements.

Why it matters

  • This action establishes the legal framework for fairness and safety in sport in Alberta, as defined by the newly enacted legislation.
  • Standardizes eligibility criteria for female-only sports across numerous provincial sport organizations, potentially impacting participation for individuals whose sex at birth differs from their gender identity.
  • Introduces a formal, regulated process for challenging an individual's eligibility, requiring the submission of birth registration documents for verification.
  • Increases the oversight and information-gathering authority of the Minister of Tourism and Sport regarding the internal policies and challenge outcomes of provincial sport organizations.
  • Establishes a framework for data collection by the Minister on challenges and the formation of mixed-gender leagues, centralizing information on sport governance.

Other governance concerns

  • Impact on transgender athletes' participation in female-only sports based on sex at birth criteria.
  • Increased ministerial oversight over independent sport organizations' internal policies and eligibility decisions.
  • Mandatory collection and use of personal birth registration information for sport eligibility.

Primary sources (2)

Secondary sources (2)