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Provincial Government Announcement on Outdoor Amateur Team Sports

By Staff, 06/08/20, 6:00PM EDT

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Ontario is taking a regional approach to re-opening the economy and has detailed how Amateur Team Sports can return to select regions

Play. Inspire. Unite. 

Ontario Soccer, in consultation with Canada Soccer and governmental sport and public health advisors, continues to monitor the most recent developments surrounding the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The Ontario Government announced today that it is increasing the social gathering limits from 5 to 10 people and that it will be taking a regional approach, in their Stage 2 plan, for the re-opening of the economy.

Also included in this announcement is the directive that Outdoor Amateur Team Sports can begin training in specific regions of the province.  This directive takes effect 12:01am, Friday, June 12, 2020. 

Public health unit regions allowed to move into Stage 2 as of Friday, June 12 include (with applicable District Soccer Association inserted):

  • Algoma Public Health (Sault Amateur Soccer Association)
  • Brant County Health Unit (Hamilton Soccer)
  • Chatham-Kent Public Health (Lambton-Kent Soccer Association)
  • Eastern Ontario Health Unit (Eastern Ontario District Soccer Association)
  • Grey Bruce Health Unit (Southwest Regional)
  • Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit (East Central Ontario Soccer Association)
  • Hastings Prince Edward Public Health (Southeast Ontario Soccer Association)
  • Huron Perth Public Health (Southwest Regional)
  • Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington Public Health (Southeast Ontario Soccer Association)
  • Leeds Grenville & Lanark District Health Unit (Southeast Ontario Soccer Association)
  • Middlesex-London Health Unit (Elgin-Middlesex Soccer Association)
  • North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit (Soccer Northeastern Soccer Association)
  • Northwestern Health Unit (Soccer Northwestern Soccer Association, Soccer North)
  • Ottawa Public Health (Eastern Ontario District Soccer Association)
  • Peterborough Public Health (East Central Ontario Soccer Association)
  • Porcupine Health Unit (Sudbury-Regional Soccer Association)
  • Public Health Sudbury & Districts (Sudbury Regional Soccer Association)
  • Region of Waterloo Public Health and Emergency Services (Southwest Regional)
  • Renfrew County and District Health Unit (Eastern Ontario District Soccer Association)
  • Simcoe-Muskoka District Health Unit (Huronia District Soccer Association)
  • Southwestern Public Health (Lambton Kent District Soccer Association)
  • Thunder Bay District Health Unit (Soccer Northwestern Soccer Association)
  • Timiskaming Health Unit (Soccer Northeastern Soccer Association)
  • Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health (Southwest Regional)

The following regions will remain in Stage 1 of the provincial plan until it is safe to move into Stage 2:

  • Durham Region Health Department (Durham Region Soccer Association)
  • Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit (Hamilton Soccer)
  • Halton Region Public Health (Peel Halton Soccer Association)
  • Hamilton Public Health Services (Hamilton Soccer)
  • Lambton Public Health (Lambton Kent District Soccer Association)
  • Niagara Region Public Health (Niagara Soccer Association)
  • Peel Public Health (Peel Halton Soccer Association)
  • Toronto Public Health (Toronto Soccer Association, North York Soccer Association, Scarborough Soccer Association)
  • Windsor-Essex County Health Unit (Essex County Soccer Association)
  • York Region Public Health (York Regional Soccer Association, North York Soccer Association, Scarborough Soccer Association)

This list will be updated when public health unit regions meet the criteria to proceed to Stage 2.

Pleased be advised of the following critical information as it pertains to our specific sport approval process in alignment with Canada Soccer:

  1. Canada Soccer has recently approved Ontario Soccer’s Return to Play Guide – Protocols and Recommendations (the plan)
  2. The Ontario Soccer Board of Directors has recently approved Ontario Soccer’s Return to Play Guide – Protocols and Recommendations (the plan)
  3. Ontario Soccer will share this document with the member Districts and affiliated Clubs and Academies in the coming days so that those who are in regions that are cleared for Return to Play may begin preparations to do so ONLY once they have been cleared and have completed Canada Soccer’s Risk Assessment tool. More information to come in the coming days under a separate Bulletin, including a copy of the Ontario Soccer’s Return to Play Guide – Protocols and Recommendations (the plan).

The Provincial Government has stated in general, that Outdoor team sports may resume, if physical distancing is maintained for training only and with no scrimmages or games.

  • This includes limited access to facilities (e.g., no locker rooms, no change rooms and no showers).
  • Access to clubhouse and other amenities will be limited to washrooms, emergency aid and equipment management.

More details will be forthcoming in Ontario Soccer’s Return to Play Guide – Protocols and Recommendations.

For further questions, please refer them to the latest bulletin, the COVID-19 Updates page, which has all the latest information from Ontario Soccer, as well as resources for your members. Please consider placing a dedicated link to the COVID-19 Updates on the homepage on your website.

If you have not subscribed to our weekly e-Newsletter, please do so here.

If you have any questions, please contact Patty Forbes, Director of Administration.