Last year the Ontario government exercised their powers under section 83 of Canada’s Criminal Code by having amateur combat sports organized by Provincially recognized sporting organizations (PSO’s).
At the time the Government set out the following list of amateur combative sports that could be legal so long as a PSO was designated to regulate them:
- boxing
- grappling
- jiu jitsu
- judo
- karate
- kickboxing
- muay thai
- pankration
- taekwondo
- wrestling
- wushu
The Government did not initially recognize any PSO for grappling, pankration or jiu jitsu at the time they passed Order in Council 1087/2017.
That has now changed. In January the Province recognized the Ontario Jiu Jitsu Association as the PSO for Jiu-Jitsu. It is worth noting that this PSO is not recognized for Brazilian Jiu Jitsu but rather just “Jiu Jitsu” with the Ministry noting that all contests must take place using “the international rules provided by the Ju-Jitsu International Federation (JJIF)“.
Below is a copy of the confirmation letter:
Combat Sports Law 