Safe sport in gymnastics now has a national roadmap. In the summer of 2026, Gymnastics Canada launched Safer and Stronger, a new Safe Sport Strategy designed to build safe, healthy and inclusive environments at every level of the sport, from grassroots programs to the national team.

The strategy was shaped through consultation with athletes, provincial and territorial gymnastics organizations, safe sport experts and GymCan's Safety Steering Committee. It is grounded in data, aligned with national safe sport priorities, and backed by measurable objectives, regular evaluation and transparent reporting so progress can be tracked over time. Read the full Safer and Stronger Strategy here.

The Four Pillars:

• Protect and Prevent: Reducing risk before harm happens through strong policies, screening, codes of conduct and preventative practices.
• Respond and Resolve: Clear, accessible reporting pathways, fair complaint management and trauma-informed approaches so concerns are handled consistently and people can trust the process.
• Engage and Educate: Expanding education and resources so everyone in the sport can recognize, prevent and respond to maltreatment, and help build respectful, inclusive environments.
• Learn and Lead: Using data, feedback, emerging research and leading practices to keep improving and set the standard across Canadian sport.

What Clubs Can Take From This:

• Check your foundations. Review your screening, codes of conduct and safeguarding policies against the Protect and Prevent pillar. 
• Make reporting easy to find. Athletes, parents and staff should know exactly where to go with a concern and trust that it will be handled fairly, long before they ever need it.
• Keep learning together. Build safe sport education into staff onboarding, coach PD and parent communication so everyone shares the same language and expectations.
• Listen and adjust. Ask athletes, families and coaches how safe your environment feels, and use what you hear to improve.

Why It Matters:

A national strategy only works when it comes to life in the gym. Clubs are where athletes spend their time, build their relationships and form their experience of the sport. When clubs and organizations across the country move in the same direction, every gymnast in Canada benefits from a sport that is truly safer and stronger.