When is body checking allowed at U15?

This comes from Hockey Alberta Information Bulletin 19-10 (May 4, 2020) and its U15 Non-Checking FAQ, which are older than the 2025-26 Regulations. The 2025-26 Regulations do not restate the checking rule, so check the date before relying on it.

• For the 2020-2021 season, Alberta's six tiered Minor Hockey Leagues unanimously supported non-checking / body contact only hockey at Tiers 4 to 6 of the U15 division. Tiers 1 to 3 were body checking.
• An association with one U15 team declares each season whether it is "body checking" or "non-checking / body contact only". An association that declares body checking can move to the non-checking tiers (4-6) before the end of the league's tiering process or by its re-tiering deadline. An association that declares non-checking cannot later move up to body checking / Tier 3 or higher.
• Body contact is not eliminated. Hockey Alberta defines body contact as incidental contact of two opposing players in pursuit of the puck or position in the same direction, and body checking as an attempt to gain an advantage on the opponent with the body, such as when two opposing players collide skating in opposite directions.
• Hockey Alberta strongly recommends that coaches of non-checking teams keep teaching how to give and receive a body check.
• Players from non-checking teams can affiliate to body checking teams if the player agrees.

Under the 2025-26 Regulations all U15 head coaches need Hockey Canada Skills - Checking and HA - Intro to Principles of Checking.