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.

Today the Government of Ontario announced the next group of Public Health Units (PHU’s) that will be moving to Stage 3 of the regional re-opening of the economy, starting Friday, July 24, 2020.

Ontario Soccer previously announced that Phase 2 of the Ontario Soccer Return to Play Plan has commenced for approved PHU’s across the province.

According to the Government of Ontario, the following Public Health Units can move to Stage 3 of the province’s plan for the re-opening of the economy. The Regions associated with these new PHU’s can move to Phase 2 of Ontario Soccer’s Return to Play Plan. The new PHU’s are bolded:

• Algoma Public Health
• Brant County Health Unit
• Chatham-Kent Public Health
• Durham Region Health Department (NEW)
• Eastern Ontario Health Unit
• Grey Bruce Health Unit
• Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit
• Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit (NEW)
• Halton Region Public Health (NEW)
• Hamilton Public Health Services (NEW)
• Hastings Prince Edward Public Health
• Huron Perth Public Health
• Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington Public Health
• Leeds Grenville & Lanark District Health Unit
• Lambton Public Health (NEW)
• Middlesex-London Health Unit
• Niagara Region Public Health (NEW)
• North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit
• Northwestern Health Unit
• Ottawa Public Health
• Peterborough Public Health
• Porcupine Health Unit
• Public Health Sudbury & Districts
• Region of Waterloo Public Health and Emergency Services
• Renfrew County and District Health Unit
• Simcoe-Muskoka District Health Unit
• Southwestern Public Health
• Thunder Bay District Health Unit
• Timiskaming Health Unit
• Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health
• York Region Public Health (NEW)

The following Public Health Units are not yet approved by the Government of Ontario for Stage 3 and therefore remain in Phase 1 of the Ontario Soccer Return to Play Plan, as additional time is required to assess and approved these Public Health Units:

• Peel Public Health
• Toronto Public Health
• Windsor-Essex County Health Unit

Member Districts, Clubs and Academies are responsible for determining which Public Health Unit their District boundaries reside in.

Ontario Soccer has reviewed the announcement and how it impacts the Ontario Soccer Return to Play Plan with Canada Soccer and the relevant Government authorities.

Organizations, which have already completed the Return to Play protocols, or have already begun Phase 1 of Ontario Soccer’s Return to Play Plan, may now move to Phase 2 when they are ready to do so and their Public Health Unit is approved by the Government of Ontario. 

There have been several updates to Phase 2, based on the Government of Ontario’s recent announcement.

Please refer to the updated Return to Play Guide for specifics on health and safety protocols and recommendations as part of Ontario Soccer’s Phase 2 of Return to Play.

Organizations which have not yet completed the Return to Play protocols, must complete the following three (3) critical sport specific steps, prior to commencing soccer activity in Phase 2.  

Once complete organizations may move to Phase 2 when they are ready to do so.   

The following critical sport specific steps, which your organization must complete, are as follows:

1. All affiliated Clubs and Academies must read and understand Ontario Soccer’s Return to Play Guide (the plan) – Protocols and Recommendations document.
2. All affiliated Clubs and Academies must prepare their own Return to Play Plans for use within their membership. Use of Ontario Soccer’s Return to Play Guide (the plan) is encouraged.
3. All affiliated Clubs and Academies must complete Canada Soccer’s Risk Assessment Tool. Please do not complete this tool until you have completed step 3 and 4 above. Access by each Club and Academy must be done so by one single source.

Organizations which have not yet received the Canada Soccer Risk Assessment Tool, should contact Patty Forbes, Director, Administrator for access.

The Ontario Soccer Return to Play Guide/Plan  details the specifics for Phase 2 and Phase 3:

Phase 2: Return to Training and Modified Games (enhanced training & modified games)

Conditions: All Phase 2 Return to Train conditions are met

Inter-squad modified games permitted (only within the Club/Academy)

Restrictions:  No league, exhibition, festival or tournament games

Phase 3: Return to Soccer (regular competition, games and training)

Conditions: Social distancing restrictions have been lifted

Restrictions: None

The phases outlined above apply equally to all recreational, competitive and high performance level soccer.

Ontario Soccer will be providing a Phase 2 webinar to review Ontario Soccer’s Return to Play – Phase 2 details and answer questions on the following dates:

• Tuesday, July 21 at 1:00 p.m. Click here to register for this webinar.
• Wednesday, July 22 at 7:00 p.m. Click here to register for this webinar.

For further questions, please refer to the latest bulletins on 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.

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