Gender Equity Playbook · Accepted 2026
Gender equity
Women in coaching, officiating and management are part of why the league exists. In 2026 the MWBA joined a national program to make gender equity part of how it is run.
In 2026 the MWBA was accepted into the Gender Equity Playbook, a program led by Canadian Women & Sport and funded by Women and Gender Equality Canada.
The Playbook is designed for sport leaders who want to make their sport more inclusive but aren’t sure where to start. It is ideal for organizations looking to improve policies, programs and culture through a gender equity lens.
What the Playbook involves
- Take part in gender equity training to build awareness and skills.
- Work with experts to review and assess current policies and practices.
- Create a custom action plan to guide next steps.
- Receive a $1,000 honorarium to support participation.
- Access consultations and tools to stay on track and share progress.
- Join a national network of sport organizations working toward gender equity.
Our Action Toolkit
Four commitments from Parts I and II of the Playbook
Part I
The Same Game Challenge
The first part of the program is research-based. The league completed the Same Game Challenge and documented what it found.
Part II
The Action Toolkit
The second part is internal. Working from the findings, the league wrote its own Action Toolkit. These are its four commitments, by pillar and sub-pillar.
Building the foundation · Vision and strategy
Build a simple, clear vision, mission and values document for the whole organization that defines gender equity, and refine the infringement policy so it is applied equitably.
Building the foundation · Leadership and accountability
Compile free gender equity training resources so more people across the league can take part, and share bite-sized gender equity information, resources and updates in existing league and partner communications.
Building the foundation · Vision and strategy
Create a vision, mission and values statement along with a formal gender equity policy, and a roll-out plan to share it with the broader organization.
Embed the lens externally · Engagement and outreach
Develop the league’s case for gender equity and communicate it inside and outside the organization.
Gender equity resources
A library of free reading and training from Canadian Women & Sport, SIRC, the Women’s Sports Foundation and others
Body Confident Athletes: Coach Session Guides
Body Confident Sport · Self-guided online modules
Addressing gender inequities in Canadian university coaching
Sport Information Resource Centre (SIRC) · Online article
Key considerations to promote the inclusion of women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ athletes
SIRC and Canadian Women & Sport · Online report
Using feminist critical management studies to examine LGBTQ+ women’s experiences of inclusion and exclusion in rugby
Sally Shaw (2025) · Research article
Chasing Equity: The Triumphs, Challenges and Opportunities in Sports for Girls and Women
Women’s Sports Foundation · Executive summary and quick fact sheet
Coaching Through a Gender Lens
Women’s Sports Foundation · Executive summary and research brief
The Operationalizing Intersectionality Framework: A Tool for Sport Administrators
Debra Kriger, Amélie Keyser-Verreault, Janelle Joseph and Danielle Peers (2021) for SIRC · Online article
Resources and Reports
Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion · Various resources and reports
Still have a question?
General and franchise inquiries go to the league office. Partnership inquiries go to Anna Lee LeBlanc, Director of Brand and Partnerships.
