Toronto Leaside Girls Hockey Association
Fairness for Girls’ Hockey in Toronto
Challenge
Girls-only hockey is one of the fastest-growing sports in Canada. Yet, despite its popularity, it continues to be a battle to get ice time for female players. In November, 2009, Argyle Communications launched an aggressive campaign for the Toronto Leaside Girls’ Hockey Association to drive Toronto City Council to enforce its allocation policy and give girls their fair share of ice time.
Solution
Our team knew that to effect change in a way that would open local arenas to female hockey players, it would need to go above the arena boards and convince members of Toronto City Council that the city’s failure to enforce its own ice allocation policy was directly responsible for unfair and discriminatory treatment of hundreds of young girls. The key was to tell a powerful, credible story through a high-impact public campaign.
Results
By focusing on the fundamental rights of girls via media relations, social media, grassroots communications, and meetings with public officials, the campaign successfully put the issue on the public agenda – reaching an audience of more than 100 million. On December 4, 2009, Toronto City Council voted 95% in favour of a motion to enforce its policy and oversee all ice allocation in Toronto – ensuring equal priority access to ice for both boys and girls. The program earned the Campaign of the Year award from the International Association of Business Communicators’ (IABC) Toronto chapter in May 2010.
