Rule Changes

New Key Nationals Policy Changes:

(For full list of policy changes, please consult the Policies and Procedures document)

Membership Association Responsibilities

6.9

h) Ensure team registration forms for participating teams are sent to the CBF Office by March 1st. A maximum of 20 players and up to 4 coaching staff can be registered on the National roster forms. All teams must have at least one (1) team official certified in First Aid present on the bench for the entirety of every game. Complete and submit these forms to the CBF office ensuring the following guidelines have been met:  

• v. Changes to the Registration Form - including completion of all registration and training requirements - can occur up until the 11:59 pm on the Friday before the Coaches Meeting (Monday or Tuesday night prior to the start of the Championship).
  • (1) Failure to finalize the Registration Form prior to the Friday before the start of the Championship could result in the team being disqualified from the championship. Games involving that disqualified team will be awarded as a forfeit as per the CBF Rule Book.

i) Coordinate return of Championship Trophies and Plaques awarded to teams under their jurisdiction to the next National event and ensure the winning participant’s information is engraved on the trophy or plaque in the same fashion as the previous winners. For trophies and plaques, the following sanctions are in place to the respective province and/or territory: 

• If any award is not returned, a minimum of a $500 fine (up to the maximum of all costs associated with replacing the award) for a replacement award will be imposed to cover the expenses the CBF will incur to purchase a replacement award.
• If any award is returned to the championship without being engraved, a minimum of a $50 fine will be imposed to cover the expenses the CBF will incur for the engraving.

Overtime: 

• Applicable only for the 2024 National Championships, for round robin games only: Five (5) minutes of overtime; if still tied, then it ends in a tie 
  • Points will be awarded for as follows:
  1. Regulation Time
     1. Winning Team - 2 points
     2. Losing Team - 0 points
  2. Overtime
     1. Winning Team - 2 points
     2. Losing Team - 0 points
     3. Tie - 1 point to each team
  • Article 49: Overtime Period d) The duration of each overtime period shall be [1] one five (5) minute stop time period for all round robin games or [2] as many 18 minutes period for all other championship games until a goal is scored.

Tuesday/Wednesday Start:

• Applicableas of the 2024 National Championships, upon team registration:
  • should the number of teams require up to seventy six (76) ±4 (four) games for tournament play, the National Championship will have a Wednesday start.
  • Should the number of teams require up to one hundred and twelve (112) ±4 (four) games for tournament play, the National Championship will have a Tuesday start.

* To be re-evaluated on a rule change year

** The CBF Board is empowered to make policies and procedures or manage the affairs of the CBF in accordance with the the Canada Not-for-Profit Corporations Act and the CBF By-laws. 

2023-2025 Rule Changes

1) Article 49 j) - Overtime Period

ADD: “In the Mixed category, if the team in numerical disadvantage is penalized with a second (or additional) penalty (which will be delayed), this team sends a player on the playing surface, of the same sex as the second to last player to have been penalized, in order to remain at 2 against 3. When the penalty ends while another is delayed, the player who has finished his/her penalty must wait for a stoppage of play before leaving the penalty bench.”

2) Article 73 b) - Legal Contact

Change to read: “No Body Checking (Mixed, Masters and Senior Women’s Non-Checking Division) - any player who, in the opinion of the Official, intentionally bodychecks, bumps, shoves or pushes any opposing player.

Sanction: Minor penalty or, at the discretion of the Official, a Major penalty and a Game Misconduct. If a player is injured, a Major penalty and a Game Misconduct shall be assessed

When the offensive player is moving towards the defensive player, the defensive player may not hit the offensive player by going in the opposite direction of that player. The body contact must be as a result of the movement of the offensive player. There must be no action where the offensive player is pushed, checked or shoved into the boards. Where in the discretion of the Official, accidental contact has taken place, no penalty shall be assessed.

3) Article 101 - Delay of Game

ADD: h) 8th Specification: If a team commits three faults on the same face-off, it will be assigned a Bench Minor penalty for delaying the game. A player who has made a fault on a face-off cannot return to perform this same face-off.

4) Article 108 - Playing in Possession of Two Brooms

Change to read: “Definition: Any player in possession of more than one broom. A player may at no time have more than one broom in his/her hands while engaged in the play. Any player may pick up another broom and hand it off (from hand to hand) to another player.

Sanction: Minor penalty

a) The player picking up the second broom may not be involved in the play.

Sanction: Minor Penalty

b) If a player throws, pushes or kicks the broom to another player

Sanction: Minor Penalty 

5) Article 113 d) - Unsportsmanlike Conduct Towards the Officials

Change to read: “4th Specification: If the unacceptable behaviour is continued.

Sanction: Game Misconduct Penalty or Match Penalty (depending on severity).

6) Article 126 - High Broom

Change to read: Definition: The act of contacting an opponent above his/her normal shoulder level with one's broom (including stick on stick contact above the normal shoulder level) OR the act of contacting the ball with the broom above the normal shoulder height.

Sanction: Minor penalty

7) Article 130 - Fighting

Change to read: Definition: There is fighting when two players have a fistfight.

Sanction: Major penalty and Game Misconduct

a) 1st Specification: As well, it shall be determined if someone instigated the fighting.

Sanction: Major penalty and Game Misconduct

NOTE: An instigator is a player who, in word, or gesture, provokes or incites an opponent or hits him/her first.

b) 2nd Specification: As well, it shall be determined if there was an aggressor.

Sanction: Major penalty and Game Misconduct