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 announced today that, as of November 16, 2020, it will move 15 Ontario Public Health Units into new categories in the COVID-19 response framework, which is designed to keep Ontario operating safely and to better manage the impact of the global pandemic.
The following are the new designations and the corresponding Public Health Units.
Lockdown:
No public health unit regions
Red-Control:
- Halton Region Public Health; (NEW)
- City of Hamilton Public Health Services; (NEW)
- Peel Regional Health Unit;
- Toronto Public Health Unit (moves to RED Control on Nov. 14, 2020);
- York Region Public Health (NEW)
Orange-Restrict:
- Brant County Health Unit; (NEW)
- Durham Region Health Department; (NEW)
- Eastern Ontario Health Unit; (NEW)
- Niagara Region Public Health; (NEW)
- Ottawa Public Health
- Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health (NEW)
- Region of Waterloo Public Health and Emergency Services; (NEW)
Yellow-Protect:
- Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit;
- Huron Perth Public Health; (NEW)
- Middlesex-London Health Unit; (NEW)
- Public Health Sudbury & Districts; (NEW)
- Southwestern Public Health; (NEW)
- Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit; and
- Windsor-Essex County Health Unit. (NEW)
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;
- Lambton Public Health;
- Leeds, Grenville & Lanark District Health Unit;
- North Bay Parry Sound District;
- Northwestern Health Unit;
- Peterborough Public Health;
- Porcupine Health Unit;
- Renfrew County and District Health Unit;
- Thunder Bay District Health Unit;
- Timiskaming Health Unit
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 (updated November 12) with the details of the new protocols, for each Zone, which are designated by four colours.
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 organizations have implemented additional restrictions that may impact their soccer operations.