Community Centres and Halls

• All children under 12 years of age are exempt from showing proof of vaccination to enter County recreation and community facilities.
• As of December 20, 2021, youth 12 – 17 years old are required to show proof of vaccination to enter a recreational facility.
  • Note of clarification: For children born in 2010 who are participating in activities that require proof of vaccination, they will be required to provide proof of vaccination 12 weeks after their 12th birthday.

How does the law impact participants attending registered recreational programs?

Proof of vaccination is required for all participants 12 years of age or older.

How does the law impact spectators and guardians?

By law, anyone accompanying the athlete as a spectator or guardian must show proof of vaccination and proof of identify if they are 12 years of age or older.

What is the definition of fully vaccinated?

Under the law, a person is fully vaccinated against COVID-19 if,

• they have received,
• the full series of COVID-19 vaccine authorized by Health Canada, or any combination of such vaccines;
• one or two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine not authorized by Health Canada, followed by one dose of a COVID-19 mRNA vaccine authorized by Health Canada; or,
• three doses of a COVID-19 vaccine not authorized by Health Canada; and,
• they received their final dose of COVID-19 vaccine at least 14 days before providing the proof of being fully vaccinated.

What if I don’t want to disclose my vaccination status?

No one is obligated to disclose their vaccination status. However, should you make the decision not to divulge this information, you will not be permitted to enter County of Brant recreation and community facilities.

Is anyone exempt from showing proof of vaccination?

• Children under 12 years of age are exempt.
• Persons who provide a written document—completed and supplied by a physician or registered nurse in the extended class (e.g. nurse practitioner)—that sets out the medical reason for not being fully vaccinated and the effective time period for the medical reason are exempt.

• As of January 10, 2022, a written medical exemption will no longer be accepted to access businesses and organizations that require proof of vaccination. Individuals who are unable to be fully vaccinated because they have an active medical exemption will need to show a medical exemption (where applicable) by downloading and showing their enhanced vaccine certificate with official QR code. https://covid-19.ontario.ca/proof-covid-19-vaccination#medical-exemptions

• Patrons entering an indoor area solely for the following purposes: to use a washroom; to access customer service or pay a bill; to purchase admission; as may be necessary for the purposes of health and safety.

Will I have to show my vaccine certificate and personal identification every time I come to an arena?

In accordance with the law, the County of Brant will not retain any vaccination or personal information shown prior to a visit. This means that proof of vaccination and personal identification will have to be shown for every visit.

How does the law impact rentals of meeting rooms/event spaces and community halls?

By law, anyone 12 years of age and older attending an event in a meeting room or at a community hall must show proof of vaccination and proof of identity.

The only exemptions are anyone entering the indoor premises of a meeting or event space for the purposes of attending a social gathering associated with a wedding service/rite/ceremony or a social gathering associated with a funeral service/rite/ceremony—on or after September 22, 2021, but before October 13, 2021—as long as the patron provides, to the person responsible for the establishment, the results of an antigen test administered within the previous 48 hours establishing that the person is negative for COVID-19.

What effect do the policies of other organizations (e.g. Ontario Minor Hockey Association, Ontario Women’s Hockey Association)–including exemptions—have on facility access?

The policies of other independent organizations have no impact on facility access and do not replace or supersede any part of the Province’s regulation, which is what the County is bound to and must administer.

Amenities: Washrooms, Vending machines and Water bottle re-fill stations

•  As of Sunday, December 19, 2021, spectators will no longer be able to consume food and drinks within the County’s Community Centres.  Masks must remain on at all times
• Washrooms, vending machines and water bottle re-fill stations are available.
•  Food concessions will be closed
•  All food and drink must be consumed outside of the building

Arrival and Departure Times

• Sport participants are expected to arrive no sooner than 60 minutes prior to the start of the rental and and vacate the change room within 30 minutes after the ice time ends.

Dressing Rooms 

• Dressing Rooms are at 100% capacity.
• Showers are available. 

Face Coverings 

• As required by the Provincial Face Covering regulation, please bring and a wear a face covering, if able, while you are in the facility. 
• On-ice participants are able to remove their mask, just prior to putting on their helmets and/or going onto the ice surface.
• For more information visit www.brant.ca/FaceCoverings

Guideline for Safely Reopening

County of Brant Community & Protective Services Staff have created this guiding document by following processes outlined by a number of agencies, including: Ontario Recreation Facilities Association, Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety, Return to Play documents from the Ontario Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries, “Return to Sport Guidelines” for Ontario Provincial Sport Organizations and Public Services Health and Safety Association.

Guidelines and procedures outlined in this document do not contravene orders issued by Public Health Ontario, nor local orders issued by the Brant County Health Unit.

Guideline for Safe Reopening: County of Brant Indoor Recreational Facilities

Parents and Guardians

• QUESTION/CONCERN:
  My child is involved in a sport or program at one of the County’s facilities. As a parent or guardian, I am not vaccinated against COVID-19. I want to drop off my child who will be unattended at the program.
  ANSWER:
  The County of Brant must follow the County’s policy and the applicable provincial regulations.
  In the above scenario, the child who is under the age of 12 years old must be accompanied by a guardian at all times while using the County’s facilities. This is to ensure proper supervision of the child for health and safety purposes.
  Given the new provincial regulation, the parent or guardian must provide proof of vaccination and identification to enter the facility or provide proof of exemption.
  
  
• Please wear a mask, if able, while in the facility and use the hand sanitizer as you enter and exit the facility.

Sanitizing Hands and Cleaning Protocols

• Please use hand sanitizer when entering and exiting the facility.  
• Additional cleaning occurs throughout the facility on a regular basis and disinfectant fogging occurs in dressing rooms in addition to our regular cleaning protocols. 
• We have also upgraded the filters in the ventilation system and will ensure as much fresh air as possible can be brought in when the weather conditions are favourable.

Sports Participants

• If a parent needs to assist their child with tying skates, you may use the assigned dressing rooms while wearing a mask. Parents may proceed to the spectator viewing area or wait outside once the skates are tied.