A critical shortage of hockey referees across the province is beginning to be felt across portions of Midwestern Ontario.
At the national level, there was approximately 33,000 on-ice officials, but approximately half are estimated to have left since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Kurt Wigle is a chairperson with the Western Ontario Athletic Association's Referee Committee. He agrees with the approximate 50% drop across the province, and says that has started to effect games locally, noting "I've been called with someone saying they know I don't have a Senior game tonight, wondering if I can do this Atom game so we don't have to cancel".
"It's definitely a fact that guys are doing more games then what we are used to typically seeing" noted Wigle.
Wigle says part of the problem is on-ice encounters with loud parents and coaches, and says local fans can help with the shortage by realizing that referees are going to make mistakes, but they have to be allowed to learn from them.
Wigle's message for hockey parents is simple: "There's a reason they're reffing in Kincardine instead of Toronto. We're going to make mistakes. Don't be vocal at them. There's been too many instances where there's an upset coach or parent, and then we have an upset official, sometimes to the point where they give it up".