Policy Statement
The Brantford Boys CYO/Brantford Hawks “the program” has always been a socially responsible organization committed to the health and safety of its players, coaches, volunteers, supporters, and third-party service providers. As an organization, our commitment to taking every reasonable precaution to ensure the health, welfare, and safety from the potential ill effects of COVID-19 is our priority. To accomplish this goal, vaccination is an essential element to protect everyone involved in the program. As such, everyone over the age of 12 must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to attend any of our basketball events.
Background and Current Situation
Full vaccination has been crucial in reducing COVID-19 virus transmission and protecting vaccinated individuals from severe consequences/outcomes of COVID-19.
Given the continuing spread of COVID-19, including the numerous mutations/variants like the Delta variant, there is data demonstrating a higher incidence of COVID-19 among the unvaccinated population. With the Province reopening many different segments of its economy, there will be increased levels of contact between individuals. The Brantford Boys CYO program cannot emphasize enough the importance of being fully vaccinated to operate a basketball program. The potential outcomes from not being vaccinated are serious and potentially long lasting. Being fully vaccinated not only protects an individual from COVID-19 but it protects other members of our community while providing peace of mind.
Application
This policy applies to anyone who attends a Brantford Boys CYO/Brantford Hawks event. Anyone who wishes to participate in Brantford Boys CYO/Brantford Hawks in the future will be required to be fully vaccinated.
Support for Vaccinations
The Brant County Health Unit offers a variety of options for people to receive their vaccination. Please click on the attached link that will direct you to a vaccination portal.
https://www.bchu.org/ServicesWeProvide/InfectiousDiseases/Pages/COVID-19-Vaccines.aspx
Continued Compliance with all Health and Safety Precautions
Unless a legislated or regulatory exemption applies, everyone over the age of 12 will be required to comply with applicable health and safety measures to reduce the hazard of COVID-19, including but not limited to compliance with established controls (e.g. screening), wearing a mask or face covering, using PPE, maintaining appropriate physical distancing. In the event that you are self-monitoring due to potential contact with an individual who has been infected with COVID-19 or has symptoms of COIVD-19, this individual will be asked not to attend any of our basketball events.
Vaccination Requirement
As many of you already know, the Ontario Basketball Association published their vaccination policy on October 18, 2021. It clearly states that anyone over the age of 12 will be required to provide identification and proof of being fully vaccinated by November 22, 2021. The program will give a small concession to house league players and ask that all players be fully vaccinated by December 1, 2021. In the event that players cannot provide proof of vaccination, they will not be allowed into the facility. Please note that some facilities may require all players to be fully vaccinated prior to December 1, 2021. If this occurs, the program cannot under any circumstances ask for any type of consideration or allowance.
Proof of Vaccination
The Brantford Boys CYO/Brantford Hawks programs will require proof of vaccination from everyone 12 years and older who attends any of our programs. Proof means documentation verifying receipt of a vaccination series approved by Health Canada or the World Health Organization.
Everyone who attends the program must disclose their vaccination status to a facility employee or a CYO official.
The program will not maintain vaccination disclosure information, including documentation verifying receipt of a vaccination series approved by Health Canada or the Ontario Government in our house league program. Further discussions about maintaining vaccination disclosure information for our Brantford Hawks teams will be discussed further as these players will be playing basketball in other communities across Ontario. This information will only be used to the extent necessary for implementation of this policy, for administering health and safety protocols and infection and prevention control measures in the program.
Please note that all the above information may change if additional government laws, regulations, protocols, procedures, or best practices are implemented in the future. These changes may also be implemented by facilities used by the program. If anyone contracts the COVID-19 virus, they must provide a negative COVID-19 test before they are allowed to attend any basketball events.
Accommodations in Accordance with the Human Rights Code
If a person over the age of 12 is not able to obtain a COVID-19 vaccine for a reason related to a protected ground set out in the Ontario Human Rights Code may make an accommodation request to a CYO official.
All accommodation requests require written proof of the need for accommodation to be submitted along with the accommodation request (e.g., in the case of a request for a medical accommodation, medical documentation from an appropriate physician or nurse practitioner, including whether a medical reason is permanent or time-limited).
As of today, the Ontario Government has published a working document that outlines its position on this matter. Feel free to review this document at the below-noted link.
Ongoing Monitoring and Assessment of COVID-19
The program will continue to closely monitor its COVID-19 risk mitigation strategy and the evolving public health information and context, to ensure that it continues to optimally protect the health and safety of everyone who attends the program. Given this, and in consultation with the appropriate health agencies, the program will continue to assess other available mitigation measures. If it is determined that additional precautions are necessary, the program may decide to deploy new measures (including at an individual level) to protect everyone involved in the program.
Given the unusual times we live in, the government may change its laws and regulations to reflect changes in the COVID 19 landscape. Please note that the program will follow all rules and regulations outlined by the government to protect everyone from COVID-19. Again, the program cannot anticipate what will happen in the future so this document may be amended to reflect future best practices.
Consequences of Non-Compliance with Policy
Anyone attempting to enter a facility hosting a Brantford Boys CYO/Brantford Hawks event who do not comply with this policy will be refused entry into the facility.
Effective Date
October 22, 2021 – Brantford CYO Executive