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York Region Health Instructions for Organized Sports Facilities

By York Region Community & Health Services Department, 09/30/21, 10:30AM EDT

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September 28, 2021

To: Owners/Operators of Facilities located in The Regional Municipality of York Where Organized Sports are Played and/or Practiced

Re: York Region Public Health Instructions for Owners/Operators

I am writing to notify owners and operators for the above Facilities of your responsibilities.

I also wish to thank you for your ongoing support throughout the COVID-19 pandemic to help protect the health of York Region residents. It is through our collective efforts that we will keep our communities safe. The fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic is upon us, with the highly transmissible Delta Variant being the dominant variant in COVID-19 cases. The Ontario’s Science Advisory and Modelling Consensus Tables advise that the Delta Variant is twice as transmissible than the original SARS-CoV-2 virus. Daily COVID-19 case counts in Ontario are substantial, with provincial data showing over 5,891 new cases reported to public health during the period of September 11 to September 18, 2021, of which York Region’s share was 523 cases (9%).

Activities related to organized sports have the potential to enhance COVID-19 transmission. Specifically, close contact, forceful exhalation, prolonged exposure, crowded indoor spaces and masks and face coverings removed during physical activity contribute to enhanced likelihood of COVID-19 transmission. Verifying proof of vaccination for persons 12 years and older in the Facilities noted above, in accordance with this Letter of Instruction, will strengthen protections for York Region communities by helping curb the spread of COVID-19.

These instructions are being provided pursuant to Section 2(2) of Schedule 1 to Ontario Regulation 364/20: Rules for Areas at Step 3 And At The Roadmap Exit Step made under the Reopening Ontario (A Flexible Response to COVID-19) Act, 2020, S.O. 2020, c. 17 (the “Reopening Ontario Act), formerly a regulation made under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act and now a continued section 7.0.2 order under the Reopening Ontario Act.

Where this Letter of Instruction imposes an additional requirement not set out in the Reopening Ontario Act, the requirement under this Letter of Instruction must be followed.

Effective 12:01 a.m. on October 1, 2021, and until further notice unless otherwise specified, I am instructing all persons responsible for Facilities where organized sports are played and/or practiced to:

  1. Require each person, age 12 years and older, at the point of entry, who attends the indoor area of the Facility for the purpose of (a) actively participating in organized sports, (b) coaching, officiating at organized sports or volunteering, or (c) spectating at organized sports, to provide identification and proof of being fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or a valid medical exemption.
  2. Comply with all other requirements under the Reopening Ontario Act and its regulations that apply to the Facility.
     

DEFINITIONS

For the purpose of these instructions:

“Facility” means a facility located in The Regional Municipality of York where organized sports are played and/or practiced.

“Fully Vaccinated ” means a person has received the full series of a COVID-19 vaccine authorized by Health Canada, or any combination of such vaccines, one or two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine not authorized by Health Canada, followed by one dose of a COVID-19 mRNA vaccine authorized by Health Canada, or three doses of a COVID-19 vaccine not authorized by Health Canada; and they received their final dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at least 14 days before providing the proof of being fully vaccinated.

“Owner/Operator” means an owner/operator of a facility located in The Regional Municipality of York where organized sports are played and/or practiced.

“Organized Sport(s)” means sport(s) and recreation including, but not limited to, sports leagues, organized pick-up sports, dance classes, gymnastics, martial arts and swimming classes, or as otherwise described in the Ministry of Health’s Proof of Vaccination Guidance for Businesses and Organizations under the Reopening Ontario Act. Ministry of Health Proof of Vaccination Guidance


ENFORCEMENT

You are required to comply with the additional measures above, pursuant to regulations under the Reopening Ontario Act including any successor legislation or regulations. As per the Reopening Ontario Act, individuals who do not comply with the above noted requirements may be liable for a fine up to a maximum of $100,000 or in the case of a corporation, not more than $10,000,000 for each day or part of each day on which the offence occurs or continues.

These Instructions, including any revisions to these instructions, are available on York Region’s website at york.ca/COVID19.

Inquiries about these instructions should be directed to York Region Public Health at: yr.corporate.communications@york.ca.

YRPH posts information regarding how to protect yourself and others from COVID-19 on its website that can assist local businesses and organizations in operating safely at york.ca/preventCOVID-19@work.

Yours truly,
Dr. Karim Kurji
Medical Officer of Health
The Regional Municipality of York

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