Announcement: Vaccination Requirement from the Province – PLEASE READ
Hello WCMHA Families,
As previously communicated to you by WCMHA on September 15th, 2021 the Government of Ontario announced its decision to require, beginning on Sept. 22, 2021, proof of full vaccination (two doses plus 14-day waiting period) for access to certain indoor facilities, including indoor “facilities used for sports and fitness activities and personal fitness training, such as gyms, fitness and recreational facilities - including rinks.
We have now received confirmation from our facilities and effective September 22nd, 2021, City of Ottawa facilities (including Kinburn Sensplex) will require certain (see chart below) patrons to be fully vaccinated and will have to provide proof of their vaccination status and ID to enter their facilities. For the “Required” patrons, please come prepared with your vaccination certificate and ID to enter arenas in our area. Anyone who cannot provide proof of the required documents will not be allowed entry.
***We understand that this may cause a delay in gaining access to the facility and once again we ask for your patience, kindness and understanding in the days ahead. ***
VACCINATION REQUIREMENTS FOR ARENA PATRONS:
Setting | Patron | Proof of Vaccination |
Indoor premises of a facility used for sports and recreational activities - arenas | Youth under 18 years of age actively participating in sport (our language – hockey) | Not required |
| All Bench Staff (coaches, trainers, on ice helpers), Officials, Team Managers, Third Party Instructors and Association Volunteers Executive | Not required |
| Youth spectating who are eligible for the vaccine | Required (unless they qualify for exemption) |
| Adult 18+ including parents, guardians of youth participating in sport | Required (unless they qualify for exemption) |
OTHER FACILITIES & ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
We know that the WCMHA has a presence outside of City of Ottawa facilities and as such we ask that you please follow the instructions posted by these facilities as they will vary from rink to rink.
Please see attached for Sensplex Rinks: https://www.sensplex.ca/covidresponseplan/
If you have not already seen the information on vaccination requirements released by the province, you can find the links here:
Regulations: O. Reg. 645/21: Rules For Areas At Step 3 And At The Roadmap Exit Step (ontario.ca)
Information for Organizations: Proof of Vaccination Guidance for Businesses and Organizations under the Reopening Ontario Act (gov.on.ca)
Information for the Public: Using Your Vaccination Receipt: Frequently Asked Questions (Ontario Newsroom)
TRAVEL FOR TOURNAMENTS:
Your teams may be looking to participate in tournaments that will require travel for hockey in cities which will have different guidelines than what is being directed by the province and our local governing body, HEO. As such, any tournament participation outside of HEO boundaries is governed by other bodies. The OMHA, Alliance, GTHL and NOHL all have the same requirements and differ from HEO. In these other areas, the vaccination policy is that any player over the age of 12 is required to be double vaccinated, as noted in the OMHA vaccination policy in the link below.
IN CLOSING:
We know that this will impact access to rink facilities across the city and we ask for your continued patience and understanding as we work through these new protocols put into place by our Provincial government, local heath units and City facilities management. It’s important to note that at any given time provincial guidelines and COVID-19 protocols are subject to change. Organizations like WCMHA are asked to pivot with very limited knowledge on timing, so we ask that you stay as up to date and informed as much as possible as we work together for the common goal of giving our WCMHA families a great and safe hockey experience.
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to any member of our WCMHA executive. A kind reminder that these rules have been put into place by the province and as such we are required to follow them, therefore please be kind and respectful when reaching out with your questions. Our amazing group of volunteers will strive to answer your questions to the best of our ability.
Sincerely,
Your WCMHA Executive