Return to Play – Step Three: Effective Friday, July 16th, 2021

The Government of Ontario announced on July 9th it will enter Step Three of the Roadmap to Reopen effective Friday July 16th, 2021 at 12:01AM. Key public health indicators and vaccination rates continue to improve, allowing for the province to safety expand indoor settings and capacity limits.

Step Three is planned to help expand access to indoor settings, with restrictions, including where there are larger numbers of people and where face coverings can’t always be worn.

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This includes outdoor gatherings of up to 100 people, indoor gatherings of up to 25 people, the opening of indoor sports and recreational fitness facilities with capacity limits, and the FULL return of sport with no contact restrictions. Public health and workplace safety measures will continue to apply across all steps, including maintaining physical distance, abiding by venue capacity limits, and wearing face coverings in indoor spaces and whenever physical distancing is a challenge.

NOTE: Check with your Public Health Unit (PHU) to ensure that it has not issued instructions to businesses and the community which limit reopening or impose specific protocols for safely conducting activities locally.

 

Step Three: Implications for Basketball

  • Full practices AND games may resume – No limitations on in-sport contact.
  • Face masks are to be worn by:
    • Coaches at all times;
    • Spectators at all times;
    • Players, when not participating in activity.

Coaches or Administrators on site must record the following information in relation to each activity:

  • Name and contact information for every participant.
  • Have players complete an Attestation of Health and declare no recent travel history.
  • OBA Participant Attestation template, as a Word document or .pdf:    Microsoft Word     PDF
  • This information does not need to be submitted directly to OBA but should be kept on file by the coach or administrator in case contact tracing is required.

If Clubs/Coaches are using facilities where they are the permit holder, they will be required to:

All Clubs/Coaches/Leagues must have a prepared safety plan before they are permitted to play. The safety plan should be available to anyone upon request. The safety plan should include:

  • How programs will screen participants.
  • Physical distancing measures in place.
  • Mask/face covering protocols for participants, coaches, and spectators.
  • Procedures for preventing and controlling crowding.
  • Measures in place to disinfect shared equipment.

Summer day and overnight camps open based on guidance from the Chief Medical Officer of Heath: Day Camp Guidance – Overnight Camp Guidance

 

Registration Process

Players must be registered with Ontario Basketball for activities using the link below. Instructions on how to register through SportSavvy can be found here.

Register through SportSavvy

Clubs or Coaches interested in running their own programs will register their team through the link above for $50 per team, $5 for each player and $10 per coach. Registration will cover individual insurance. For outdoor space to be covered, insurance must be requested separately by the affiliated club. This is applicable until August 31st, 2021. Clubs will need to request additional insurance certificates at that time. More on OBA insurance.

 

Transfer Policy

Due to the nature of the team registration, Ontario Basketball’s Transfer Policy will be temporarily waived.

 

Funding Opportunities

  • The Coaches Association of Ontario announced today their Return to Coaching Community Grant, which will help coaches with return to play costs (including purchasing PPE and individual sporting equipment). Applications close on August 8th.

 

ICYMI:

  • Clubs or Coaches interested in running Ontario Basketball’s Mega Hoops program can now purchase kits through the OBA online store. The program is comprised of eight one-hour sessions geared at the Active Start and FUNdamentals age groups and includes a basketball and t-shirt for every participant. Package costs are: $300 for a package of 10; $500 for a package of 25; $1000 for a package of 50.

 

For more information on what is and is not permitted in Step Three of re-opening, please refer to the Government of Ontario’s media release: Ontario Moving to Step Three of Roadmap to Reopen on July 16.

For details on Step Two: Ontario Moving to Step Two of Roadmap to Reopen on June 30

For details on Step One: Ontario to Move to Step One of Roadmap to Reopen on June 11

 

Disclaimer: 

The information included in this post is current for the time of publishing and is aligned with the current recommendations from national and international bodies, and the Ontario government. However, recommendations may change depending on daily provincial, local and global COVID-19 situation reports; local resources, including local Public Health Unit (PHU) authorities, should also be consulted for up-to-date information.

This is Ontario Basketball’s recommendation based upon the regulations, but it is subject to the interpretation of the Ontario government and local health units. Until COVID-19 is fully eradicated, there will still be a risk of contracting the virus when participating in any public activity.

The information and recommendations outlined above should be used to develop individual plans that evaluate the unique risks that each training environment presents. The above information is to supplement and not to replace applicable law and the information provided by public health authorities. Individuals, in consultation with a medical professional, should also assess and evaluate their own personal risks. The above information is not legal advice.

The enforcement of the above guidelines and any additional restrictions is solely at the discretion of the local PHUs and other authorities. Ontario Basketball strongly recommends that member clubs notify local PHUs about their intention to use these guidelines, highlighting the proposed times, locations, and planned activities. Any additional recommendations or restrictions from the local PHUs would be enforceable on a case-by-case basis and would be in addition to those listed in these guidelines.