Guidelines for Clubs, Coaches, and Members in Step 3
Please note the following guidelines for triathlon clubs as Ontario remains paused at Stage 3 of reopening.
Clubs may run workouts, and previously-issued sanctions remain in effect so long as both COVID-related emergency orders and the usual sanctioning requirements are followed.
Please note that restrictions may be put in place by multiple agencies, and may change at any time.
The below are general guidelines only, based on Ontario Regulation 364/20 – please check the regulation itself for precise wording.
Following the below will generally satisfy the current known requirements for usual club workouts.
- Numbers.
- Indoor limits are the lesser of:
- The number of people who can keep a 2-metre distance in the available space, and
- No more than 50% of the space capacity.
- Outdoor limits vary by the type of venue, but generally follow the above.
- This includes the coach, any support personnel, all athletes, spectators, and parents/guardians.
- Staggered workouts can work if the first group is completely gone by the time the second arrives.
- In addition, numbers may be further limited by PSO policy.
- Please see the chart below for the Triathlon Ontario capacity limits for pools.
- Indoor limits are the lesser of:
- Distancing. Everyone must maintain 2 metres distance, except:
- People in the same household, and;
- People actively engaged in an athletic activity, where closer contact is necessary to the activity.
- Masking. Masks are required indoors at all times, and outdoors when with 2 metres of another person, except:
- When all people closer than 2 metres are from the same household, or;
- Participants actively engaged in an athletic activity.
- Screening. Participants at indoor activities are required to complete some method of screening, including:
- Those who report symptoms are not permitted to participate;
- Records of attendance and screening answers are kept.
- COVID Safety Plan. Sports events may be required to have a written COVID Safety Plan:
- Posted in a prominent location, and;
- To provide a copy to anyone on demand.
- Check Section 16 of the regulation to find out if your event is required to have a plan and what is required to be in the plan.
As a reminder, all of the usual Triathlon Ontario workout requirements still apply.
- Everyone’s a member. For the workout to be sanctioned, everyone participating must be an annual Triathlon Ontario member, a one-day member, or trying your club for the first time.
- Sanction your Club. If your club hasn’t done the paperwork for 2021, you can do so here.
- Sanction your workout. (If you haven’t already.) Workouts already sanctioned are still so and don’t need to be redone. Workout sanction requests are done through an easy online form. You can sanction multiple workouts on one form. Find the form here.
- Waivers. Everyone participating must sign the TO 2021 waiver. Current TO annual members already have. To check that members are current, use this link. Ensure one-day members and those trying a workout sign a waiver before they participate. Electronic signing through CCN is fine. Scan paper waivers and email them to TO.
- Records. Just as normal, keep track of who attended your workout – it may be needed for more than just membership checks!
- Safety briefing. Brief your athletes for sport safety just as you normally would. Add to this during the COVID era reasonable precautions that apply to your workout, such as: distancing, masking, staying away if symptomatic, not sharing equipment, avoiding other groups, parking, washrooms, sanitation, etc. Put safety points on any website or social media pages.
- Disclaimer. Ensure your athletes are aware that communicable diseases are not covered. This has always been the case, but the insurers are understandably requiring that this particular point be made at every opportunity. Put this point on any website or social media pages.
- EAP. All workouts require an Emergency Action Plan. Please ensure these are up-to-date and in place. Everyone should know where the EAP is and what to do with it. Plan what to do if there’s an injury and add this to your EAP. How will you respond to an injury during COVID? Do you have protective gear (masks) in your first-aid kit?
- Venue requirements. Please follow the requirements of the venue you’re using.
- Sport safety. As for all workouts, ensure your workout is safe for your athletes, yourself, and the public.
Virtual events are sanctionable, both virtual races and virtual workouts. Contact staff for further info on running virtual events.
Pool Workout Capacities
Pool Size | Single Lane | Double Lane | Spacing | Pool Ends |
25m / 25yd | 8 athletes | 12 athletes | 2m between athletes | No congregating |
50m / 50yd | 12 athletes | 14 athletes | 2m between athletes | No congregating |
About Triathlon Ontario
Triathlon Ontario is a non-profit organization that is the recognized Provincial governing body for Multisport in the province of Ontario. Our mission is to provide leadership and governance for the development of a safe and fair environment for Multisport in Ontario. Triathlon Ontario oversees the sanctioning of races and clubs and undertakes a number of duties and responsibilities on behalf of athletes at every level, coaches, clubs, officials and race directors to ensure the growth and development of the sport in a fun and safe way.
For more information please visit: triathlonontario.com.
Follow us on Twitter: @TriOntario.
Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/TriathlonOntario.
Provincial Development Program Sponsor
About GOTRI.ca
GoTri.ca is a resource website created by Triathlon Ontario specifically for beginners and new entrants in the sport of triathlon, duathlon and other multisport events. The website is an easy-to-use resource tool to find sanctioned Ontario clubs, events, coaches or general information about the sport.
For more information please visit: GoTri.ca.
Follow us on Twitter: @GOTRIOntario.