Frequently Asked Questions

Despite the growth and interest in women’s hockey across Québec and Canada, the number of Québec athletes registered in the national program has decreased significantly over the past decade. In girl’s and women’s hockey, Québec has the lowest participation rate given the province’s population. In terms of annual memberships, Ontario leads by far with over 52,000 registered players for the 2018-2019 season, followed by Alberta (12,005) and British Columbia (9,874). Québec follows with 6,874 players.

Women’s hockey is one of the few sports in Québec that has not been served by a regional centre or equivalent infrastructure mandated to serve the long-term development needs of our elite athletes.

This project aims to provide robustness to the network by laying the foundation for a solid development plan for Québec’s elite female players. Centre 21.02 will become an important vector of influence for women’s hockey in Québec and Canada.

This project is the result of several months of collaboration with various partners who are eager to support the development of our sport and elite women hockey players in Québec. It is also based on many years of experience in high-level sport development.

We are convinced that by integrating services and creating an innovative training environment for elite players in collaboration with Hockey Québec and the Institut National du Sport du Québec, we can better support and guide the current and the next generation of high-performance hockey players striving for sporting excellence in Québec, Canada and internationally.

The elite athlete joining Centre 21.02 has access to training support worthy of the services offered during a National Team Centralization year. The first high-performance hockey centre of this scale in the country, its innovative concept integrates on- and off-ice training as well as state-of-the-art coaching on all aspects related to performance and excellence in women’s hockey. Centre 21.02 will be the very first, and long-anticipated, permanent home for Québecois and Canadian elite athletes.

Centre 21.02 is a legal entity under the responsibility of a Board of Directors. Danièle Sauvageau assumes the direction. A progressive deployment is in progress for the Centre. An operational structure will be developed in close collaboration with the Institut National du Sport du Québec (INS Québec) and Hockey Québec.

Centre 21.02 caters to the needs of elite and next-generation athletes, including many PWHPA members. We are an independent high-performance training centre with provincial support that trains and serves elite athletes and next-generation players.

The PWHPA is a player’s association that regroups athletes and provides a united voice for players advocating for the creation of a sustainable professional league. The PWHPA organizes unique showcase events as part of the Dream Gap Tour.

The selection of athletes and coaches from the various competition networks that train at Centre 21.02 will be entirely under the authority of their respective partners (Collegiate, University, PWPHA, Hockey Canada, USA Hockey, etc.). The competition network will be carried out in collaboration with the National programs and the organization of “SHOWCASE” events hosted by the Professional Players’ Association (PWHPA). In the event of the formation of a professional league and the return of a team in Montreal, the centre will become an even more important hub for the retention of elite players and their preparation for competing in a professional league.

Players who participate or will participate in a professional league will be under the guidance of their organization, as well as available to play in competitions hosted by their National programs or the PWPHA.

The Verdun Auditorium is located on Lasalle Boulevard in the borough of Verdun. The facility features 2 arenas, including a 2,500-seat arena and an NHL-sized training surface. Since September 2020, it has been the home of Centre 21.02. The auditorium also hosts cultural and leisure events.

Address: 4110 Boulevard LaSalle, Verdun, QC H4G 2A5
Opening Date: November 28, 1939
Phone : (514) 512-2102

The facility is accessible by public transit, close to schools, universities and major high-performance facilities (INS).

Centre 21.02 is a high-performance hockey centre that currently provides a daily home for, and training opportunities to 29 elite member-athletes, with the capacity to accommodate over 40 high-performance athletes. We offer a development program for elite athletes, with a primary focus on supporting carded or elite-identified athletes, helping them access and excel at regional, national and international levels, such as the ESSO Cup, World Junior Championships, Olympic Winter Games, international competitions, and ultimately professional leagues.

To inquire about joining Centre 21.02 or if you have any questions, please contact us here.