Board of Directors Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why does being a Board member matter?

From the moment your child registers for minor hockey until the day they graduate from the BC Hockey system, it is imperative that the BC Hockey Board of Directors’ vision and values reflect that of the entire BC Hockey membership. Similar to how a coach develops a training plan and goals for a team, governance helps set the purpose for an organization, its vision and how it will get there. As a Board member, you can help set the objectives, support the oversight of BC Hockey, provide your expertise on the policies that affect all members, and guide BC Hockey's approach.

2. What is a Policy Board of Directors, and do they play any role on the operations side of BC Hockey?

A policy Board of Directors provides guidance and oversight of BC Hockey's operations and activities. The Chief Executive Officer is the liaison between the Board and the staff and is responsible for putting Board-recommended actions in-place. The Board of Directors and governance structure for BC Hockey does not allow for Board members to involve themselves in day-to-day operations or to contact any staff member outside of the CEO to advance activities.

3. What are the Board’s roles and responsibilities?

Primarily, it is the Board’s role to:

• provide guidance and oversight of the organization
• ensure that appropriate mechanisms (such as financial controls, policies and procedures) are in place to support BC Hockey operations
• ensure the organization is conducting accurate and timely reporting

The Board is accountable for the oversight of BC Hockey’s operations. However, being accountable doesn’t mean the Board must do everything, or even specify how to achieve its purpose. When determining how the organization will best accomplish its purpose, the Board must differentiate between consultation and guidance, responsibility, authority and accountability. 

The Board may delegate some responsibilities to Board Committees and Board Officers. In turn, those Board Committees and Board Officers may assist their Board with governance responsibilities, safeguarding the integrity of Board conduct and behaviour, and holding those Committees and Officers accountable for appropriately exercising their authority. Of course, these relationships must be thoughtfully described and documented to maximize role clarity.

4. How long is a term for a Board member?

The term for an elected Board member is two years, although, there are often times one-year terms that become available.

5. How many consecutive terms can a Board member serve?

A Director can serve a maximum of eight years on the Board of Directors (four-terms) including any term as Chair of the Board. No individual may serve more than two consecutive two-year terms as Chair of the Board.

6. How is it determined which Board applicants for nomination are moved to the nomination phase of the process?

The Nominating Committee will verify the eligibility of the candidates that have expressed interest to hold office. The Nominating Committee will then work through the nominations and circulate a list of recommended eligible candidates along with a brief summary of their qualifications, 75 days prior to the Annual General Meeting (AGM). Members will then have until 60 days prior to the AGM to submit further nominations and until 50 days prior to AGM for nominees to express intent on running for Board Chair. 45 days prior to the AGM, the Nomination Committee will circulate a final list of candidates for the available positions along with the resumes of the candidates and their credentials. The dates for the 2023-24 deadlines can be found below:

• March 10, 2024 – Deadline for Director nominations
• March 25, 2024 – First circulation of Director candidates to membership
• April 9, 2024 – Final Director nomination deadline
• April 19, 2024 – Final date for nominees to run for Board Chair
• April 24, 2024 – Finalized candidate list circulated to membership
• June 8, 2024 – BC Hockey Annual General Meeting and elections

7. After an applicant is nominated, how is it determined if they become a Board member?

At each Annual General Meeting (AGM), elections shall be held to fill the positions of the elected Directors whose terms have expired, along with any vacancies. The election of Directors shall be conducted by secret ballot by the BC Hockey Membership. The names of all nominees for Directors’ positions shall appear on the ballot.

Anytime both two-year and one-year terms become available, the elections shall have the nominees receiving the greatest number of votes serve the two-year term(s), and the nominees receiving the next highest number of votes serve the one-year term(s).

Upon the completion of the elections, only the names of the elected Directors will be announced at the AGM by the Chair of the Nominating Committee.

8. What are the general parameters of commitment for a Board member?

Being a Board member does come with certain commitments and responsibilities. The Board of Directors will have up to four in-person Board Meetings throughout the year, as well as, virtual meetings determined by the Chair of the Board. These meetings can occur anywhere throughout B.C. and Yukon, at the discretion of the Chair of the Board. Additionally, the Annual General Meeting and Annual Congress, which will take place from June 7-8, 2024, are also an event that the Board of Directors are required to attend.

In addition to the meetings that the Board of Directors must attend, Board members are required to execute their duties, which will take an additional time and work commitment. Some of these commitments could include overseeing a Committee or a workgroup.  

9. What type of experience would an ideal candidate for a Board member have and will people that do not have a hockey background be considered for nomination?

The BC Hockey Board of Directors is looking for individuals with hockey experience, but also a broad spectrum of leadership attributes that are not specific to hockey. In addition to technical knowledge about hockey, rules, competition structures, etc., other important attributes for Board members include:

• Legal Experience
• Fiscal Oversight
• Political Sense
• Management Skills and Adaptability
• Decision Making Skills
• Risk Identification, Assessment and Management Skills
• Board Governance Experience
• Strong Communication and Interpersonal Skills