COVID-19 Safety Measures

No. As of March 21, 2022, we will follow the guidance of public health and make the wearing of masks voluntary in all of our centres and offices, with the exception of YMCA Sprott House and The Wagner Green YMCA, where all current COVID-19 requirements remain unchanged.

It is important to remember that lifting the mask mandate does not mean the pandemic is over or the risk is gone. We will ensure that anyone who chooses to continue to wear a mask will feel welcome and supported in doing do.

As of March 21, 2022, the YMCA will no longer verify vaccination status for those participating in our programs or accessing our facilities.

As of March 21, 2022, individuals are no longer required to maintain a distance of two metres from every other person in indoor areas.

For the most up-to-date information, please refer to the Government of Canada’s Travel Restrictions and measures for each province and territory.

Active COVID-related screening and record-keeping is no longer required for participants and members. However, all individuals should continue to self-screen and refrain from entering our centres if they are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms.

Effective March 21, 2022, as per Ministry of Health guidelines, our child care families are required to self-screen at home using the COVID-19 school and child care screening tool. If a child does not pass screening, they must be kept home for the required isolation period.

Anyone who is sick or has any new or worsening symptoms of illness should stay home until their symptoms are improving for 24 hours (or 48 hours for nausea, vomiting and/or diarrhea). If COVID-19 is suspected or confirmed by a Rapid Antigen Test (RT) or PCR test, the individual must follow all isolation requirements.

Yes. The enhanced cleaning protocols that have been in place throughout the pandemic will continue.

For example, at our child care locations, we've implemented enhanced cleaning and disinfecting measures recommended by public health authorities that are designed to support regular hand hygiene and to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and other infectious illnesses.

• Frequently touched surfaces including washrooms (for example, toilet fixtures and faucets), eating areas (for example, tables, sinks, countertops), doorknobs, light switches, handles, push buttons, handrails, office (for example, desks, phones, computers, keyboards, touch screens, photocopiers), and sports equipment are cleaned and disinfected twice each day.
• The risk associated with the transmission of illness by sharing objects is low. The focus is on regular hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette to reduce the spread of illness. Toys are cleaned and disinfected as per local public health guidelines, before being shared with another classroom, when dirty, or when a child puts a toy in their mouth.

At YMCA Health & Fitness centres:

• Our staff will be consistently disinfecting high-touch surface areas, and continuously cleaning throughout the day.
• We've increased signage to remind everyone to regularly wash and sanitize their hands.
• Disinfectant wipes are readily available throughout the building.
• All members should wipe down equipment and workout spaces before and after use.

As we have done throughout the pandemic, we will continue to monitor the situation and are prepared to reinstate protocols as required.

The Government of Ontario’s recent decision to lift most pandemic-related restrictions and requirements indicates that based on high vaccination rates in the province, we are now learning to live with and manage COVID-19 for the long term. While the YMCA has taken a more cautious approach to easing restrictions throughout the pandemic than many organizations, we feel it is time to align more closely with this latest guidance from public health.

We'll continue to ensure that anyone who chooses to continue to wear a mask will feel welcome and supported in doing do. We will maintain our vaccine requirement for all YMCA staff and volunteers, and we ask everyone visiting our centres to self-screen for COVID-19 symptoms before entering any of our centres. We continue to operate well-ventilated spaces and maintain the enhanced cleaning protocols that have been in place throughout the pandemic.

We will continue to monitor the situation and are prepared to reinstate protocols as needed.