In recognition of Justine Todd’s long-standing commitment to the game and as a leader in growing the game, come June, the OHA is honoring the veteran official with The Advancement of Women in Hockey Award
By – David McPherson
Cambridge, ON – A love for the game—combined with a desire to stay on the ice after her playing days ended—led to Justine Todd’s successful side gig, which has given her opportunities she never imagined possible when she first donned a hockey official’s uniform.
“I didn’t want to stay in the game as a player necessarily and I didn’t really want to coach, so officiating seemed like the best option,” says Justine, who works full-time as a police constable with the York Regional Police department. “I certainly didn’t expect it to lead to where I am today. My advice is to take every opportunity that comes your way because officiating will take you places you never expected.”
Officiating led Justine to not only referee at rinks in her home province and across North America, but to call the lines in far flung locales like South Korea and most recently Italy for last month’s XXV Olympic Winter Games in Milano Cortina, Italy where she was one of 10 Hockey Canada officials chosen from five provinces, including a trio from Ontario.
Growing up in Smiths Falls, Ontario, hockey was integral to Justine’s life. She started playing hockey when she was nine-years-old in the National Capital Competitive Program, which prior to the 2008-2009 season, merged with the Kanata Girls Hockey Association and the Capital Canucks Senior AAA Team to form the Ottawa Senators Women’s Hockey Club.
After graduating from high school, Justine pursued her post-secondary education at the University of Toronto and played on the Varsity Blues women’s hockey team all five years of her eligibility (2002-07), helping the team win the OUA championship in 2003.
During the tail-end of her varsity career, Justine got interested in officiating. When she was 12-years-old, she had worn the stripes as a part-time job, but it didn’t connect. Still, the fact she had some previous experience helped make the transition from player to official a smooth one.
“I already had a good foundation of what the expectations were and what it was like to be on the ice,” Justine says. “It was not a difficult transition, but I recognized there was still a lot to learn.”
After graduating from U of T with a double major in psychology and biology, with a minor in French, Justine pursued her true passion–taking a job with the Ottawa Police Service in 2010; in the nation’s capital is also where she started to officiate regularly, gradually working the lines in more and more games and advancing from working women’s AA and U22 to eventually working national and international women’s events for Hockey Canada.
Staying Current
The way hockey is played has changed significantly since Justine first started to officiate. Ongoing training from the OHA and other hockey associations and simply donning the black and white jersey night in and night out, is how she stays current.
“You need to be in the game to evolve with the game,” Justine says. “You need to see how the player styles and their personalities on the ice have shifted. You need to be on the ice and you need to be on the ice frequently.”
The role of an OHA official also requires keeping in shape, both physically and mentally, by regularly hitting the gym since after the opening puck drop there are few chances for a breather.
“There are no breaks,” Justine says. “It’s 60 minutes of work. Sure, we get our intermissions just like the players, but otherwise you’re going the whole time … for me, I’m on the lines, so there are also a lot of starts and stops. And, if it’s a particularly physical game with a lot of scrums, you’re doing a lot of pushing and pulling and working to separate players, so you have to work on your strength, not just your cardio, especially when most of the players now are bigger than me.
“I have to give myself whatever advantage I can,” she adds. “That means putting in the work off the ice.”
Olympic Memories
Justine likes to joke that Milano-Cortina 2026 was her “2.5 Olympics.” The official’s first Winter Games was Pyeongchang, South KoreaWinter in 2018. Justine was selected again for the Beijing Olympics in 2020, but before boarding the plane to China, she tested positive for COVID-19. Reflecting on what was a disappointment at the time, she realizes now that it was a silver lining.
“It motivated me to stay in officiating at the national level,” she says. “I was contemplating perhaps packing it in, but I stuck with it again for another four years to meet that goal of working one more Olympics.”
Prior to packing her bags for Milano-Cortina, Justine announced that this would be her final Olympics working the lines. She could not have asked for a better way to end her Olympic journey as part of a Canadian contingent eight officials strong—the most Hockey Canada has ever sent to this international competition.
“It was also a highlight to work the women’s bronze medal game,” Justine says. “It feels good going out on my terms. To be selected for the medal game and to work until the last day was very special. As more time passes, I’m sure it will become even more special as I reflect on how much work it took to get there and how many others would love to be there and have that opportunity.”
Get Uncomfortable
Justine offers some sound advice and a pair of tips based on her vast experience for anyone contemplating becoming a hockey official.
“Number one, give it more than a season,” she says. “Hockey is not always the most kind sport, and perhaps sometimes we condone behaviors that are not the most conducive to learning or to nurturing a young game official and supporting them staying in the game so give it more than a season. My second piece of advice is, ‘Work on assignments that make you feel uncomfortable
… those games where you leave and you’re like, that was a really tough game.’ Those are the games that we learn from and those are the games that help us become better officials. Don’t be afraid of putting yourself into new challenges and difficult situations because those will give you the best development you have as a game official.”
In recognition of Justine’s long-standing commitment to the game and as a leader in growing the game, come June, the OHA is honoring the veteran official with The Advancement of Women in Hockey Award.
About the Ontario Hockey Association
The Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) was founded on November 27, 1890, and is the governing body for the majority of Junior and Senior hockey in the Province of Ontario. It is comprised of three Junior hockey leagues and two Senior hockey leagues: Junior A – Ontario Junior Hockey League; Junior B – Greater Ontario Hockey League; Junior C – Provincial Junior Hockey League, Senior –Allan Cup Hockey (AAA) and Ontario Elite Hockey League (AA). For the 2025-2026 season, these five leagues encompass 132 teams. 3100 players, and about 6,000 games each hockey season. The majority of our players are 16 to 21 years of age.
The objectives of the OHA are to foster and encourage the sport of amateur hockey, to conduct competition in the various categories established, to determine teams for entry into the inter-branch competitions that may be provided by Hockey Canada, and to provide for the affiliation of other hockey organizations.
The OHA provides administrative resources, coordinates programs, services and events for hockey participants and provides support to various Development Programs for coaches, officials, trainers and players, Safety and Risk Management Issues and offers resources for Harassment and Abuse education.
-30-
For more information or to set up an interview, please contact:
Chris McCleary
General Manager
Ontario Hockey Association
