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COVID-19

COVID-19 has dramatically impacted the sport, physial activity and recreation community. The Edmonton Sport Council continues to monitor the situation and for resources which will help your organization's return.

June 2

COVID-19 Risk Assessment for Sport

Club Risk Assessment and Club Mitigation Checklist Tool

COVID-19 Guidelines for Outdoor Led Activity: Outdoor programs have a duty to care for their participants and must implement effective COVID-19 adaptations. To facilitate this process, this website links to documents from a diversity of sources and each program will have to refer to and use the guidelines that are most relevant to their particular context.

Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance now open: Apply

Government extends the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy

Business Resilience Service offers free business advice to nonprofits

 

June 1

Return to Workplace: a resource section within the Edmonton Chamber of Voluntary Organizations COVID-19 page on how to safely and effectively plan your team's return to the workplace. (Click on "Return to Workplace" in the left menu)

 
May 28

Sport and Law Strategy Group news and insights on important matters such as insurance and waivers!

 
May 26

City of Edmonton resources:

  • City’s COVID response, including new rules and expectations of Edmontonians, visit www.edmonton.ca/covid-19

  • Look up how a specific program, service or project has been impacted by the City's COVID-19 response through a new tool.

  • A handy at-a-glance resource on how people can use outdoor recreational facilities.

Centers for Disease Control & Prevention - Considerations for Youth Sports

 

May 25

Sport Calgary has developed a COVID-19 Risk Assessment Tool to assist sports organizations provide a safe and healthy space for their staff, volunteers and participants. Please note that this document is only a list of suggestions and should not be used as a replacement for professional and legal guidance provided by governments, health authorities, and sport governing bodies. The Government of Canada has developed Risk-informed decision-making guidelines and Government of Alberta resources are also available.

 

May 22

Starting May 22 all playgrounds, skateparks, tennis, pickleball, volleyball and basketball courts, disc golf, outdoor fitness parks and athletic tracks will begin re-opening for safe use. Click here for all the details.

 

May 20

Sport New Zealand Hygiene and Sanitation Guidance

 

May 13

Global Physical Distancing Guidelines for Sport and Recreation

The Alberta government is reallocating money from the Community Initiatives Program (CIP) Project-based grant to the CIP Operating grant to help struggling small and medium-sized front-line charities and non-profits which focus on food security, shelter and housing, and addictions and mental health supports to maintain their core operations and provide services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Click here for more details.

 

May 12

Golf and outdoor shooting ranges have re-opened. Other outdoor activities like Tennis will also be launching formal relaunch strategies. Summer Camps with limits on occupancy are permitted within Stage 1 of Alberta's relaunch strategy. Those considering outdoor SPAR summer camps should follow Alberta Health Services Health and Safety Guidelines for Child Care Centres.

For all who are beginning to consider the relaunching of amended or traditional services in an outdoor environment and/or for later when permissible in an indoor environment, you must be knowledgeable of and align to key Alberta Government COVID-19 information and resources and move forward knowing that operational standards for businesses also apply to not-for-profit organizations. As a first step in developing your relaunch strategy, it is recommended that you review:

Rather than starting from scratch, consider building your relaunch strategy upon good ideas and best practices being implemented in other jurisdictions, including:

In a town-hall telephone call on Monday May 4th involving Premier Jason Kenny, Dr. Deena Hinshaw, the Hon. Leela Aheer and other Ministers, it was clearly communicated that relaunch strategies are to be developed by the senior coordinating / accreditation body for consideration by the Alberta Government. For example, Tennis Canada has issued tips and recommendations for players and club administrators, coaches, and anyone organizing tennis activities. These tips and recommendations have then been built upon by Tennis Alberta, which is submitting it's relaunch strategy to the Alberta Government.

Therefore, for example, all hockey organizations in Alberta should be following the return to play guidelines developed by Hockey Alberta (or Hockey Canada if a national return to play strategy is developed) - after having been shared with the Alberta Government. It is further suggested that organizations which offer multiple activities follow the return to play guidelines as developed by the recognized coordinating / recognized accreditation body for each activity offered.

It was also identified in the townhall meeting, that when return to play guidelines are developed, a large facility/space may enable the physical separation of several participant groups, Lastly, it was suggested that  the Alberta Government could help source Personal Protection Equipment for service providers, but would not be financially responsible for such equipment.

Whenever an organization changes their mandate, program design or content, they are encouraged to consult with their insurance broker and a lawyer to review participant waivers and assumption of risk forms for minors.

 
April 29

The City of Edmonton has announced that park spaces like baseball diamonds and soccer fields will be open to the public for casual use only starting May 1, weather permitting. Users must adhere to 2 metre physical distancing rules, ensure gatherings are kept to 15 people or less and avoid or limit touching commonly touched surfaces like sporting equipment. Tennis courts, pickleball courts, basketball courts, volleyball courts, disc golf and premier sports fields remain closed.

The Government of Canada is establishing a $500 milllion COVID-19 Emergency Support Fund for cultural, heritage and sport organizations that will help address the financial needs of affected organizations so they can continue to support artists and athletes.

They also intend to introduce the Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance program for small businesses that will seek to provide loans and/or forgivable loans to commercial property owners who in turn will lower or forgo the rent of small businesses for the months of April (retroactive), May, and June. Implementation of the program will require a partnership with provincial and territorial governments who are responsible for property owner-tenant relationships. It is expected that CECRA will be operational by mid-May but it is unclear at this time if nonprofit organizations will be included in the definition of "small business".

As of April 19, no further details about eligibility or application processes for these programs have been released.

The Government of Canada has launched the new Canada Emergency Business Account, which has been implemented by eligible financial institutions in cooperation with Export Development Canada. This $25 billion program provides interest-free loans of up to $40,000 to small businesses and not-for-profits to help cover their operating costs during a period where their revenues have been temporarily reduced, due to the economic impacts of the COVID-19 virus. Repaying the balance of the loan on or before December 31, 2022 will result in loan forgiveness of 25 percent (up to $10,000).

 

Edmonton Chamber of Voluntary Organizations

 

Government Resources:

 

Governance
 
Working from Home Resources:

 

Resources to Help Your Organization Manage Volunteers during the Pandemic

 

Other Resources: