July 14, 2020

Stage 3 - Reopening Sport and Recreation 

The Ontario Recreation Facilities Association (ORFA) continues to monitor the most recent developments surrounding the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the resulting public health crisis and how it affects recreation facility re-entry and reopening.

The Government of Ontario announced on July 13th its plan for Stage 3 of the re-opening of the economy, which will commence on Friday, July 17, 2020. Nearly all businesses and public spaces will reopen in Stage 3 of the province's reopening framework with public health and workplace safety measures and restrictions in place. As Ontario continues down the path to economic recovery, decisions on which regions will enter Stage 3 and when will be made in consultation with the Chief Medical Officer of Health and other health experts and based on trends of key public health indicators.

As part of the Stage 3 reopening, Ontario will be increasing gathering limits for those regions entering the next stage to the following:

• Indoor gathering limits will increase to a maximum of 50 people;
• Outdoor gathering limits will increase to a maximum of 100 people;
• Gathering limits are subject to physical distancing requirements.

Public gathering limits apply to indoor and outdoor events, such as community events or gatherings, concerts, live shows, festivals, conferences, sports and recreational fitness activities, fundraisers, fairs, festivals or open houses. A two metre distance must still be maintained at such events.

Regions remaining in Stage 2 will maintain the existing gathering limit of 10. Social circles in all stages at this point will also be kept to a maximum of 10 people province-wide, regardless of stage.

Note: A social circle is a group of up to 10 of the same people who can interact with one another without physical distancing, regardless of which stage of reopening their region is in. Social or public gatherings may include different social circles, but are subject to gathering limits and physical distancing of at least two metres. Learn more about social circles.

The Government of Ontario regional approach to re-opening in their Stage 3 plan, will include the following public health unit regions:

• Algoma Public Health
• Brant County Health Unit
• Chatham-Kent Public Health
• Eastern Ontario Health Unit
• Grey Bruce Health Unit
• Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit
• Hastings Prince Edward Public Health
• Huron Perth Public Health
• Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington Public Health
• Leeds Grenville & Lanark District Health Unit
• Middlesex-London Health Unit
• 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

The following regions will remain in the government’s Stage 2 plan, as additional time is required to assess and monitor any impacts and readiness to move into Stage 3:

• Durham Region Health Department
• Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit
• Halton Region Public Health
• Hamilton Public Health Services
• Lambton Public Health
• Niagara Region Public Health
• Peel Public Health
• Toronto Public Health
• Windsor-Essex County Health Unit
• York Region Public Health

Additionally, the following changes are highlighted and taken from the Framework for Reopening the Province, released July 13, 2020. 

FACILITIES FOR SPORTS AND RECREATIONAL FITNESS ACTIVITIES

• Examples of facilities for sports and recreational fitness activities include gyms, fitness studios, and community centres.
• Physical distancing must be maintained, except if playing a team sport or as needed for personal training. “Amateur and recreational sports leagues may resume so long as they do not allow prolonged or deliberate physical contact between players or if they have modifications to avoid physical contact between players. Spectators at all sporting events, including professional sports, will be subject to gathering limits and physical distancing measures, with assigned seating where possible.”
• The total number of people permitted in areas containing weights or exercise machines is limited to the number of people that can maintain physical distancing of at least two metres, which cannot exceed the indoor gathering limit of 50 people.
• The total number people permitted in classes or organized activities at any one time is limited to the number of people that can maintain physical distancing of at least two metres, and cannot exceed the indoor gathering limit of 50 people or the outdoor limit of 100.
• Assigned spaces are strongly recommended for organized fitness classes (e.g., by marking circles on the floor to designate where each person should exercise).
• Gathering limits do not apply in all other areas (e.g., pools, tennis courts and rinks).
• Equipment must be cleaned and disinfected between user sets or at the end of a game.
• Any washrooms, locker rooms, change rooms, showers or similar amenities made available to the public must be cleaned and disinfected frequently.
• Steam rooms and saunas are not yet permitted to open.

Read workplace guidance to help develop and update your COVID-19 safety plan:

TEAM SPORTS AND LIVE SPORTING EVENTS

• Prolonged or deliberate contact while playing sports is not permitted.
• Team sports in which body contact between players is either an integral component of the sport or commonly occurs while engaged in the sport (e.g., wrestling, judo) are not yet permitted, unless the approach can be modified to prevent prolonged or deliberate physical contact.
• Amateur and recreational sports leagues may resume so long as they do not allow prolonged or deliberate physical contact between players or if they have modifications to avoid physical contact between players.
• Leagues must contain no more than 50 participants total. If participants in a league exceed 50, the league may divide into smaller groups of no more than 50. Players are not yet permitted to play against players outside of their league or group.
• Spectators at all sporting events, including professional sports, will be subject to gathering limits and physical distancing measures, with assigned seating where possible.

PLAYGROUNDS AND PLAY STRUCTURES

• Outdoor playgrounds and play structures are permitted to reopen in Stage 3.
• Physical distancing of at least two metres must be in place at all indoor playgrounds and play structures, except between individuals from the same household or social circle.

RECREATIONAL COURSES AND INSTRUCTION

• Examples of recreational courses and instruction include music lessons, language classes, tutoring and art classes.
• All instructional classes are subject to gathering limits.
• Physical distancing must be in place for participants, other than when necessary for instruction. Face coverings are recommended in those situations.
• Equipment must be cleaned and disinfected frequently.
• Plexiglass or some other impermeable barrier and physical distancing are required for any instruction that involves singing or playing wind or brass instruments.

RECREATIONAL ATTRACTIONS AND BUSINESSES

• In Stage 2, outdoor recreational facilities that operate low-contact attractions and activities were allowed to reopen. Indoor recreational activities can resume in Stage 3.
• Examples of indoor recreational facilities and attractions include arcade rooms, escape rooms, bowling alleys, and pool halls.
• Physical distancing of at least two metres must be in place.
• Equipment must be cleaned and disinfected frequently.
• Karaoke is permitted only outside of private karaoke rooms, which are not yet able to open in Stage 3, with restrictions including barriers, physical distancing and increased cleaning and disinfecting.

MINISTRY OF HERITAGE, SPORT, TOURISM AND CULTURE

Further to the information contained within the Governments Stage 3 Reopening release, the following changes relate to the sport and recreation sector.

Facilities for sports and recreational fitness activities, including gymnasiums, yoga and dance studios and other fitness facilities, may open if they comply with the following conditions:

1. Every person who engages in sports or a recreational fitness activity at the facility, other than a team sport, must maintain a physical distance of at least two metres from every other person at all times during the activity.

2. The total number of members of the public permitted to be at the facility in a class, organized program or organized activity at any one time must be limited to the number that can maintain a physical distance of at least two metres from other persons in the facility, and in any event cannot exceed:

3. The total number of members of the public permitted to be at the facility in areas containing weights or exercise machines at any one time must be limited to the number that can maintain a physical distance of at least two metres from every other person in the facility, and in any event cannot exceed 50 persons.

4. The total number of spectators permitted to be at the facility at any one time must be limited to the number that can maintain a physical distance of at least two metres from every other person in the facility, and in any event cannot exceed:

5. Team sports may only be practised or played within the facility if they do not allow for physical contact between players or if they have been modified to avoid physical contact between the players.

6. Organized team sports that are practised or played by players in a league may only be practised or played within the facility if the league either:

7. 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 or, where used in a game or practice, at the end of play, such as at the completion of a game or practice.

8. Activities must not be practised or played within the facility if they require the use of fixed structures that cannot be cleaned and disinfected between each use or, where used in a game or practice, at the end of play.