On March 26, 2021, the government of Ontario announced the following changes to regions in Grey-Lockdown, to allow for outdoor sports, recreation, and personal fitness. Clubs operating in Grey-Lockdown regions are permitted to resume outdoor team training, provided they follow the following rules (from Ontario Regulation 82/20):

• A facility for outdoor sports and recreational fitness activities, including a facility for indoor sports and recreational fitness activities that has such outdoor facilities, may be open if it complies with the following conditions:

1.   The only activities permitted on the premises are outdoor fitness classes, personal training, and training for team and individual sports.

2.   No patrons are permitted to be in the indoor areas of the facility.

3.   No more than 10 patrons may be at the outdoor facility at any one time.

4.   Any instruction given to members of the public who are engaged in activities that are not a sport,

            i. must be delivered through a microphone if, without a microphone, the instructor would need to raise their voice beyond the level of normal conversation, and

            ii. must not encourage loud talking, singing or shouting.

5.   No spectators are permitted to be at the facility. However, a person under the age of 18 years who is engaged in activities in the facility may be accompanied by one parent or guardian.

6.   Any person who enters or uses the facility must maintain a physical distance of at least three metres from any other person who is using the facility.

7.   For greater certainty, team sports must not be practised or played at the facility, with the exception of training sessions for members of a sports team that do not include games or scrimmage games.

8.   Activities that are likely to result in individuals coming within three metres of each other must not be practised or played at the facility.

9.   Any equipment that is rented to, provided to or provided for the use of users of the facility must be cleaned and disinfected between each use.

10.   Activities that require the use of equipment or fixed structures that cannot be cleaned and disinfected between each use must not be practised or played within the facility.

11.   The person responsible for the facility must,

            i. record the name and contact information of every member of the public who enters the facility,

            ii. maintain the records for a period of at least one month, and

            iii. only disclose the records to a medical officer of health or an inspector under the Health Protection and Promotion Act on request for a purpose specified in section 2 of that Act or as otherwise required by law.

12.   Music must not be played at the facility at a decibel level that exceeds the level at which normal conversation is possible.

13.   The facility must actively screen individuals in accordance with the advice, recommendations and instructions of the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health before they enter the facility.

14.   No member of the public may use the facility unless they have made a reservation to do so. In the case of members of the public participating in a team sport, only one reservation per team is required.

15.   Every person in the facility shall wear a mask or face covering in a manner that covers their mouth, nose and chin.

It is important that clubs and members be aware of their region’s status in the province’s framework, as regions may change status/colour very quickly.

Any clubs operating in Grey-Lockdown regions must adhere to the above restrictions, in addition to other restrictions that may be in place (ie safety plan). For more information, refer to Field Hockey Ontario’s Return-to-Train Guidelines (Version 3) and the Government of Ontario’s COVID-19 Public Health Measures and Advice webpage. To check what zone your public health region is, click here. It is important that clubs and members be aware of their region’s status in the province’s framework, as regions may change status/colour very quickly.

As of Monday March 29th 2021, clubs may operate limited outdoor activities in a Grey-Lockdown region. Clubs should ensure their COVID Safety Plan, active screening procedures, and any other related protocols are prepared and in place before resuming any in-person programming, regardless of what status their region is currently in.