Ontario’s COVID-19 Response Framework
November 6, 2020
To all Ontario Badminton Clubs:
The Government of Ontario released their COVID-19 Response Framework to help keep the Province safe and open on November 3, 2020. Within the framework, the government outlines targeted measures for various industries. The gradual approach puts certain public health unit regions into different levels of alert categories: Green-Prevent, Yellow-Protect, Orange-Restrict, Red-Control, and Lockdown.
The targeted, incremental, and responsive public health measures have the intent to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Please refer to Appendix A for the Public Health Unit Region Classifications. In addition to the provincial health measures, some municipalities and local medical officers of health have added their own regional restrictions or requirements. Please note that all club operators must independently identify the regional health authority in which they are located to determine which alert category they must operate under. Check your local public health unit or local municipality’s website for details. Where there are regional restrictions or requirements, all provincial restrictions also apply.
The following is a guideline for how to deliver and offer badminton programs based on the measures announced by Premier Ford.
Green-Prevent
- {added} Indoor capacity limited to the number that can maintain a physical distance of at least 2m from other persons up to a maximum of 50 people
- Indoor in-person badminton instruction/training permitted with a maximum of 50 people
- Access permitted to areas with weights and exercise equipment with a maximum of 50 people
- Limit of 50 people per room basis only if operating in compliance with a plan approved by the Chief Medical Officer of Health Office
- Singles and doubles play is permitted with no contact and with a maximum of 50 people
- Required to use microphone by instructors wherever needed to avoid shouting
- Limit on volume of music (if used) to conversation levels
Yellow-Protect
- Measures from previous level and:
- {added} Physical distance of at least 2m from every other person must be maintained; when on court there should be no contact and every effort to maintain 2m physical distancing should be made
- Face coverings required except when on court
- Fitness classes, fitness training sessions, and access is permitted to areas with weights and exercise equipment with increased spacing between patrons to 3m
- Indoor in-person instruction/training and indoor recreational singles and doubles badminton play is permitted with a maximum of 10 people per room
- There should be no contact during instruction, training, nor play
- Require contact information for all patrons entering the facilities
- Require appointments for entry, one reservation
per group on each court
- Recommend that each club operator have a safety
plan with health and safety protocols in place
Orange-Restrict
- Measures from previous levels and:
- Indoor capacity at a maximum of 50 people in all combined spaces
- Require screening of patrons including spectators (e.g., in the form of a questionnaire)
- No spectators permitted with an exemption for parent/guardian supervision of children
- Recommend a limit to the duration of stay
Red-Control
- Measures from previous levels and:
- Indoor in-person singles and doubles badminton instruction/training permitted with a maximum of 10 people
- Games, scrimmage, sparing will be permitted for singles training sessions only
- There must not be any games, scrimmage, nor sparing for doubles training sessions; doubles training sessions may only be strictly drills
- Access permitted to areas with weights or exercise equipment with a maximum of 10 people
- Indoor recreational singles badminton play is permitted with a maximum of 10 people within each room
- Indoor recreational doubles badminton play is not permitted
- There must not be any contact during training nor play
- Indoor in-person singles and doubles badminton instruction/training permitted with a maximum of 10 people
Lockdown:
- Full restriction on all indoor badminton operations, programs, and recreational play
Badminton Ontario also reminds all member clubs and registered individuals, that all activities must adhere to Federal and Provincial (Ontario) legislation, as well as any municipal bylaws and facility rules in place related to COVID-19 physical distancing and public or private gatherings. Failure to abide by these federal, provincial, or municipal requirements may result in legal prosecution by government as well as denial of insurance coverage and possible disciplinary measures by Badminton Ontario.
Ontario is committed to ensuring our athletes play safe when it is safe to play.
Badminton Ontario will continue to provide updates as part of our commitment to a safe return to play and training for all.
Respectfully,
Jean Wong
Technical Director
Badminton Ontario
Appendix A: Public Health Unit Region Classifications
As of November 7, 2020 at 12:01 am, the province will transition public health unit regions to the new framework. The following classifications are based on updated data reviewed by the Chief Medical Officer of Health and approved by Cabinet on Friday, November 6, 2020.
Please note, at the request of the local medical officer of health, and with the support of Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, Toronto Public Health would remain in a modified Stage 2 until at least November 14, 2020.
Lockdown:
- No public health unit regions
Red-Control:
- Peel Regional Public Health
Orange-Restrict:
- Ottawa Public Health
- York Region Public Health
Yellow-Protect:
- Brant County Health Unit
- City of Hamilton Public Health Services
- Durham Region Health Department
- Eastern Ontario Health Unit
- Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit
- Halton Region Public Health
- Niagara Region Public Health
- Region of Waterloo Public Health and Emergency Services
- Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit
- Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health
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
- Huron Perth Public Health
- Lambton Public Health
- Leeds, Grenville & Lanark District Health Units
- Middlesex-London Health Unit
- North Bay Parry Sound District
- Northwestern Health Unit
- Peterborough Public Health
- Porcupine Health Unit
- Public Health Sudbury & Districts
- Renfrew County and District Health Unit
- Southwestern Public Health
- Thunder Bay District Health Unit
- Timiskaming Health Unit
- Windsor-Essex County Health Unit
