Ontario Soccer, in consultation with Canada Soccer and the Government of Ontario, continues to monitor the most recent developments surrounding the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the resulting public health crisis and Ontario Soccer’s Return to Play Plan.
The Government of Ontario recently announced that it has moved Ontario Public Health Units into its new COVID-19 response framework to keep Ontario operating safely and to better manage the impact of the global pandemic.
In recent weeks, various public health units have reported record cases of COVID-19. As the Provincial Sport Organization for soccer, recognized by the Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries, Ontario Soccer has been asked to do our part through its vast membership throughout the province, to help combat the virus. Public health is at risk.
Ontario Soccer has worked with the relevant Government Health and Sport authorities to update our Return to Play Guide and Plan to better reflect the new government framework within our Return to Play three-phase approach.
Organizations are now required to review the updated Return to Play Guide and Plan with the details of the new protocols, for each Zone, which are designated by four colours.
Ontario Soccer will determine timelines for each Phase in alignment with the Government of Ontario provincial health authorities involving government orders, restrictions and guidelines. We will continue to update membership through our Information Bulletins, as further updates to directives are known.
Ontario Soccer has created a Reference Guide (Zones) Overview to assist the membership in understanding these changes. The following is based on the Government of Ontario Public Health Orders. Organizations must check with their local Public Health Unit for further restrictions, which may be different from the following.
Reference Guide (Zones) - OVERVIEW
Ontario Soccer will be scheduling educational webinars on Tuesday, November 17, 2020 at 1 p.m. and Wednesday, November 18, 2020 at 7 p.m.
Click here to register for the November 17, 2020 webinar at 1 p.m.
Click here to register for the November 18, 2020 webinar at 7 p.m.
Please submit your questions ahead of participation via HelpDesk@OntarioSoccer.net with the subject line “Return to Play Guide 2.0 Questions.”
Ontario Soccer request that all member organizations ensure they know what health unit they are part of. Click here to find your Public Health Unit.
Member organizations are encouraged to stay in contact with their local Public Health Unit and Municipality in the event these regions have implemented additional restrictions that may impact their soccer operations.
The following are the new designations and the corresponding Public Health Units.
Lockdown:
No public health unit regions
Red-Control:
- Peel Regional Health Unit.
- Toronto Public Health (Moves into Red as of Nov. 14, 2020 and will have additional restrictions from the local public health unit. Organizations in this region are encouraged to contact their Public Health Unit)
Orange-Restrict:
- Ottawa Public Health; and
- York Region Public Health.
Yellow-Protect:
- Brant County Health Unit;
- City of Hamilton Public Health Services;
- Durham Region Health Department;
- Eastern Ontario Health Unit;
- Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit;
- Halton Region Public Health;
- Niagara Region Public Health;
- Region of Waterloo Public Health and Emergency Services;
- Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit; and
- Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health.
Green-Prevent:
- Algoma Public Health;
- Chatham-Kent Public Health;
- Grey Bruce Health Unit;
- Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington Public Health;
- Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit;
- Hastings Prince Edward Public Health;
- Huron Perth Public Health;
- Lambton Public Health;
- Leeds, Grenville & Lanark District Health Unit;
- Middlesex-London Health Unit;
- North Bay Parry Sound District;
- Northwestern Health Unit;
- Peterborough Public Health;
- Porcupine Health Unit;
- Public Health Sudbury & Districts;
- Renfrew County and District Health Unit;
- Southwestern Public Health;
- Thunder Bay District Health Unit;
- Timiskaming Health Unit; and
- Windsor-Essex County Health Unit.
Additionally, the Government of Ontario has created a centralized data resource where members of Ontario Soccer can track the cases and spread in their region.