What safety and inclusion standards must a licensed club meet?

From the National Youth Club Licence standards (25 June 2025):

Safe soccer experience

• Adhere to the Canada Soccer Code of Conduct and Ethics, and have a Code of Conduct to Protect Children and guidelines for appropriate and inappropriate conduct between adults/adolescents and children.
• Have a policy on what to do if you witness inappropriate conduct (given to parents, coaches and team personnel) and a policy requiring any suspicion of child abuse to be reported to law enforcement.
• Provide an environment free of bullying and discrimination, with safe, well-maintained facilities and equipment.
• Have at least one person who has completed Commit to Kids online training, identified as the primary child protection liaison with contact information given to coaches, team personnel and parents.
• Actively implement the Canada Soccer Guide to Safety.

Responsible Coaching Movement

• Have Rule of Two guidelines that it educates players, parents, coaches and team personnel on.
• All coaches and team personnel must have completed Respect in Sport Activity Leader training.
• All coaches and team personnel aged 18+ must have a Criminal Record Check with Vulnerable Sector Check, or an Enhanced Police Information Check, within the last 3 years.
• Respect in the Sport Parent Program for at least one parent or guardian per family is a recommendation.

Accessible and inclusive environment

• Programming for underrepresented groups, programs or partnerships that reduce barriers to participation, and accessible facilities for participants of all abilities.
• Equity, diversity and inclusion training for staff and leadership, an audit with inclusion surveys, and inclusive language and images in promotional materials.
• Actively implement the Canada Soccer Guide to Accessibility and Inclusion.

Source: Canada Soccer National Youth Club Licence standards (25 June 2025), criteria 13 to 32.