Grant: Alliance Grants

The game of hockey is deeply intertwined with Canadian identity. No other country in the world has as many hockey players, rinks, and fans for this sport as Canada. It cuts across cultural and geographic lines so that when we play, we are all Canadians. Unsurprisingly, hockey contributes significantly to the Canadian economy, with tourism and NHL events being the biggest contributors to local economies. Canadian companies also provide materials (e.g., rink ice paints, in-ice logos), rink management training services, and rink water treatment systems across the world. Our partner in this initiative, Jet Ice, is an all-Canadian ice-making company committed to the scientific innovation of hockey products and materials (particularly, ice paints and water) and aims at improving the quality of the sport and its environmental impact. This Project proposes the development of modern analytical technologies designed to assess the quality of the water that is used in ice-making, particularly as it relates to disposal, recyclability, and reusability. This knowledge will also be applied to the investigation of ice surface's freezing and maintenance, and the practical study of the effects that chemical substances that might be present in the source water or meltwater can have on the overall energy footprint required to maintain an ice stadium. Through the partnership with Jet Ice, an internationally established leader in arena operations and hockey ice products, and a powerful voice in defining best industry practices, we foresee that the results of this research will strengthen Canada's reputation in operational winter sports, both environmentally and economically. Together with Jet Ice, we will establish a scientific approach toward 'greener ice' and inform the establishment of evidence-based processes, policies, and standards to be adopted by the members of the ice-making industry, municipalities, clubs, and sports associations. The project will also serve as a unique training opportunity for HQP at Toronto Metropolitan University to gain real-world insight into these technologies and applications.