THINGS ARE HAPPENING AT LACROSSE CANADA

by Pierre Filion pierrefilion@bell.net

Exciting times at Lacrosse Canada these days; quite enough for a ‘’fresh dish’’ of significant events.

Let’s look at some.

New strategic roadmap but same budget

The 2026-27 Lacrosse Canada budget was accepted and produced months ago; months ago! The 2026-28 strategic roadmap was presented to the members on April 20th 2026. It was different than the ‘’other one’’ presented last year!

It is relevant to remember that the 2026-27 budget called for a balanced budget of 4,143,675$ up from the 2025-26 budget of 2,426,884$. We are all waiting for the 2025-26 audited statement in order to have a clearer picture of Lacrosse Canada’s financial situation. One cannot forget that the last two financial statements were presented with significant deficits (194,749$ in 2023-24 and 850,155$ in 2024-25). You all know that this is a deficit of 1,044,904$ which the members will have to cover up somehow.

The 2025-26 statement will tell us a lot about Lacrosse Canada’s ability to carry on with its 2026-27 budget.

But this having been said I always find it weird for associations to come up first with a budget and then, almost two years later, with a strategic roadmap. One would have expected that the Association would have drafted its plan and then prepared its budget to determine where the investments (in line with the goals) would be going.

When an Association suddenly changes direction (or roadmap) and keeps the same budget one can wonder if the strategic roadmap is really what the Association wishes to do or if its just new words to justify the expenses.

Something like the carriage before the horse trying to go forward.

2026-27 budget revisited

The 2026-27 budget came into action on April 1^st. It calls for revenues of 4,143,675$.

Now here is where all that money will be coming from:

The members will generate 2,161,314$ (52.1% of the revenues) from clinics, meetings, membership fees, transfers and national championships

Sport Canada will inject 1,265,162$ from grants and recurrent contributions; that is 30.5% of the revenues; in a way Sport Canada is somehow a ‘’minority shareholder’’!

The National Teams and the National Teams Development Program will contribute 542,700$ for 13% of the revenues;

Sponsors and donations will hopefully raise 174,500$ for 4.2% of the revenues. Some might be tempted to say that the Staff will generate 4.2% of the revenues! This seems unfair but does strike a nerve.

Now, where will Lacrosse Canada spend that money:

Administration and staff salaries and expenses will require 1,729,379$ (41.7% of the expenses);

The National Teams and the Development Teams will spend 1,610,707$ for 38.8% of the expenses; the National Teams will raise, as explained above, 542,700$ and spend 1,610,707$; please read this again and ask who will cover the difference?

The members will receive services or programs (meetings, national championships and projects) to the tune of 803,589$ for 19.3% of the budget.

One thing is sure, the members will probably want to have the budget monitored better than it has been for the last two years. They might ask that monthly or quarterly statements be sent to them by the treasurer if ever they have the opportunity to elect one to scrutinize their money!

Important changes in personnel

The Board of Directors is now made up of five females and four men: Barbara Lockhart (interim president), Stephanie Pagan, Hannah Lazore, Trish Chant-Sehl, Caroline Meagher and Ted Goldthrope, Stephan Leblanc, Zach Currier and Alon Lizenman. Everyone seems highly qualified but so many are simply new to the Board of Directors. So very few have also been duly elected by the Members at an annual meeting and have stepped up to replace leaving or resigning Directors. At first glance it could appear that Lacrosse Canada is doing what most associations do: appoint to the Board friends of friends. This might not be it but it sure looks like it. This will allow the Members’ Council to step up and prepare the upcoming elections to be held, probably, in September. The Members’ opportunity to regain some sort of control over the Board of Directors is right there in front of them in an open and democratic forum.

If the members fail to act, they will only have themselves to blame. Surely if they had some financial resources to work with, they might have a better option on their own future. A look at the 2026-27 budget might give them some ideas.

No change in information; silence is golden

If Lacrosse Canada still wishes to be transparent towards the members it could start by publishing, on the website, the dates of Board and Committee meetings; it could also identify the members of the different Board Committees (nominations’ committee, ethics committee, etc) so the voting and paying members would know when the Board meets, when it reports and who the members of its committees are.

This is basic information that the members need in order to be proactive and positive.

Why this information is not simply on the website is beyond my understanding!

Para-lacrosse; a question of priority!

Lacrosse Canada’s website has informed its paying members of the launch of a para-lacrosse activity with the purpose of’’ presenting lacrosse as an inclusive sport. Lacrosse Canada aims to expand accessible and inclusive opportunities within the sport and to support the continued growth of lacrosse for participants of different abilities across Canada’’.

Now is not the time or place to be negative about this endeavor.

But it might well be the time and place to remind everyone that there are 14,600 elementary and high schools across Canada and 5.5 million students in schools in Canada.

Para-lacrosse will surely be an inclusive project but the sheer number of students, in schools in Canada, might suggest that systematically penetrating the school system could be a very inclusive endeavor!

Unless one wishes to have the sport remain marginal and relatively unknown.

Para-lacrosse or school lacrosse!

Again this is beyond understanding.