Frequently Asked Questions

What is CanSkate?

  • A 45 minute program for young skaters ages 4-12 yrs. 

  • No previous skating experience is required. 

  • Designed for first timers to more experienced skaters.

  • Skaters are taught in a group lesson format with a ratio of 1:10 by a certified professional skating coach, who ensures that the skaters are learning and working through each of the levels of this program. 

  • Children are grouped by ability, and skaters that are able to stand and move on their own begin working on the CanSkate badges.

Is there an age restriction for CanSkate?

  • At the Whistler Skating Club, skaters must be 4 years of age as of the date the program starts.

 How is the CanSkate program designed?

  • The CanSkate program focuses on the development of three fundamental movements:  Balance, Agility and Control, organized in six levels of learning know as Stages 1-6. 

  • The skills are progressively arranged from simple to complex with each level having a primary focus. 

  • Once the skills in each fundamental movement are mastered a ribbon is awarded.

  • Once the skills in each level are mastered a badge is awarded.

  • We keep track of your child’s progression through the badges and group them accordingly. Skaters new to us are grouped on the first day.

  • Report cards are issued on the final day of the session. If your child misses the final session your child’s report card will be filed at the front desk area of Meadow Park Sports Centre for one month.

How does a CanSkate session run?

  • Each session begins with a warm-up, with skaters moving around the “fast track”

  • This is followed by station rotations, with skaters broken into smaller groups where they learn and practice new skills

  • The session wraps up with a group cool-down and a closing “fast track” 

What is the significance of the coloured flags and stickers on the skaters’ name tags? 

By grouping skaters relative to the overall class skill level ensures that skaters learn with other skaters of similar ability to themselves. This helps the skater with confidence, enabling them to learn skills faster, whilst having fun!

  • Yellow - Typically skaters younger in age and beginners.

  • Green - Usually skaters have minimal skating experience and may be slightly older than those in the yellow group.

  • Blue - Skaters who are in the middle range of skills for the overall group.

  • Red – Skaters tend to be older in age and more advanced in their ability.

PLEASE NOTE: What group a skater is assigned to may change between programs, as it is dependent on the overall skill level of all skaters in that specific program. Eg: If a skater registered in two programs (both Tuesday and Thursday classes) they maybe assigned say the blue group on Tuesday, and the green group on Thursday.
If so, this would be due to the overall skill levels of skaters in the two different classes on different program days.

Who are the young adults on the ice during CanSkate?

Volunteer Program Assistants (PAs) work with the coaches to assist in effectively implementing the CanSkate program. Program Assistants have advanced skating skills and experiences and are trained by the club coaching professionals.

What clothing should my child wear?

Dress your children in layers. It is important to be warm so that skaters can enjoy their lesson, but clothing also needs to allow for movement. Avoid hoodies, baggy or long clothing items, and make sure clothing has no extra pieces or hanging parts that could get caught on skate blades. 

  • Warm pants eg: snow pants are ideal. Do not dress in jeans, because if the child falls and gets wet, they will get cold and uncomfortable.

  • A nicely fitted sweater and / or jacket.

  • Mittens or gloves are essential to protect and keep their hands warm.

  • Some children like to wear a toque / hat under their helmets, others prefer not to. (Note: This may impact on ice hockey helmet sizing, keep this in mind if purchasing a helmet).

What kind of helmet does my child need?

All participants must wear a “CSA approved Ice Hockey helmet”. (Other helmets including ski helmets and bike helmets are not accepted). Please note this is a MANDATORY requirement by Skate Canada for insurance purposes, and no exceptions can be made.

Skaters without a CSA approved hockey helmet during CanSkate lessons will not be permitted to participate in the program.

Hockey helmets are designed to help protect against head injuries occurring on ice, whether from a fall or collision. A bicycle helmet, for example, is designed to protect against head injuries should a fall occur while riding a bicycle. It is important to ensure that when a skater is on the ice, they are protected with equipment designed for their sport or activity.

Can I borrow / rent a helmet?

Skaters need to have their own their own helmets. If you want to borrow a helmet, to ensure your child likes skating first, you may loan a helmet for free from Meadow Park Sports Centre for the first 2 weeks of CanSkate only.

NOTE: There will be more skaters in the program, than Meadow Park owns helmets for children. Therefore, we cannot guarantee size availability.

Where can I buy a “CSA Approved Ice Hockey helmet” from?

BEFORE you buy a helmet, please refer to the helpful ‘helmet notes’ on the Helmet Information - Whistler Minor Hockey website. (Note: Skate Canada only requires skaters to wear a helmet (no face guard) for the CanSkate Learn to Skate program).

Places to purchase include:

Can I rent skating equipment?

Skaters need to own their own skates. They will improve faster when having the same feeling boot and blade sharpness each week. (Refer below for more details on skate requirements).

Skates will be available to rent for the first two weeks of CanSkate only through Meadow Park front desk. The cost is $4.50 per lesson (pay directly to Front Desk staff at time of skate collection.)

If renting, please arrive an additional 15 minutes early (per child) to allow time to line up at Front Desk, then try on skates to determine correct size etc.

Please note: There will be more children in the class with similar sized feet, than skates available for rent. Therefore, we cannot guarantee size availability, and so parents choose to rent at their own risk. (No refunds can be offered if your skate size is not available.) Consider putting the weekly rental cost towards buying a suitable pair of ice skates.

What kind of skates are required? 

Both figure skates and hockey skates are acceptable for CanSkate.

Good skates are important for comfort and safety. Ideally skaters should have their own skates, preferably fitted by a skate shop or by a qualified skate dealer.

A good fit in a pair of quality used boots is better than a pair of low-quality new boots for skaters learning basic skating skills. Leather boots with firm support around the ankle and properly sharpened blades are essential.

We do not recommend molded plastic skates with velcro or buckles closure.

“Bob skates” with the double blade are not suitable for our programs.

The boots should be fitted with one pair of socks/tights and there should be room to move the toes, but the foot should not slip or slide around in the boot. Skates need to be laced fairly loosely over the toe and the front of the foot, but snuggly over the ankles. Laces should be tucked in and not wrapped around the top of the skate.

The heel must fit firmly and should not be able to move up and down. The child stands up, bends their knees slightly and walks in the skate without the ankles dropping to either side. The skate should feel comfortable. Avoid buying a larger size for skater to grow into. 

You can test the support of a skate by taking your two thumbs and, placing one on each side of the side of the boot, press down where the ankle bone would be. If the side of the boot is easy to push in, then there is little or no support in the boot. Likewise, if it is difficult to push the side of the boot in, then there is good support in the boot. 

Probably the most important element in purchasing used skates is ensuring that there is enough support left in the skate.

For more advice on Figure Skates for your child, check out our “Good Skates” info sheet.

Where can I purchase skates?

Figure Skates - New can be purchased at either:

Figure Skates - Second hand can be purchased from:


Ice Hockey Skates - please refer to Whistler Minor Hockey Association website for the best advice on Ice Hockey gear. Ice Hockey Gear

 What level will my child participate in? 

If you have already skated with us we have a record of what levels you achieved last session. If you are new to us, we will assess, and place your skater in the appropriate level during the first week.

Your skater is continually reviewed, and may move to a different group during the course of the program. This is to ensure they are learning with skaters of similar level, which helps their confidence grow, and skills improve faster.

What is required of parents?

1. Parents should assist their child/children with putting on their equipment. 

2. As per RMOW Policy, a responsible adult for your child MUST remain INSIDE the Meadow Park building at ALL times. There is always a risk of injury and it is imperative that a responsible adult be onsite at all times in case of an emergency.

We encourage you to stay and watch your child learn to skate, either in the warm lobby, or up in the stands. (Note: Parents are not allowed to be around the edge of ice.)

Free Wi-Fi is available. Alternatively you may also use facilities within the building eg: gym, fitness class, swim etc. (If so, you must be ready to pick your child up immediately at the end of the class.)

3. Parents are not permitted to be in the players’ boxes or at the gates to the ice arena as this blocks access to the ice and it is also a distraction to the coaches and skaters during their lessons.

Why is there a membership fee, and is it mandatory?

All skaters registered in Whistler Skating Club programs must pay a membership fee, which goes to Skate Canada to register and insure all skaters. As a Skate Canada sanctioned club, we are not able to waive this fee, and it is NOT refundable. Your membership fee is valid for one year from September 1 to August 31; the current Skate Canada fee is $44.

If I have a question about my child’s progress who do I speak to?

All CanSkate questions should be directed to info@whistlerskatingclub.ca, and we can ensure the most appropriate person is engaged to respond to your questions. Coaches must never be approached while they are working; as well as distracting to young skaters, interrupting coaches during lessons is discourteous to the time and attention they are focusing on all of our skaters.

How does my child progress beyond CanSkate?

Figure Skating: The Junior Academy program is the next step for a skater who is working on CanSkate Stage 4 badge, or demonstrates enthusiasm and the ability to commit to a more intense level of skating practice.

This program is designed for children who love to skate and want to take it a level beyond CanSkate. Moving into the Junior Academy program offers skaters new opportunities to advance their skating skills.
Figure Skating - Junior Academy and STAR program.

Ice Sports: CanSkate also provides the requisite skills for skaters to pursue their interest in other ice sports such as hockey, ringette and speed skating. In Whistler the local hockey organization is Whistler Minor Hockey - Winterhawks Hockey Club.