UPDATE: as of April 18th, 2022
Ringette Ontario has updated their mandatory vaccination policy, see the member notice on the RO website.
At this time, RO has decided to suspend its mandatory vaccination policy effective this coming Monday, April 18th. This means that vaccinations will not be mandatory in order to participate in spring tryouts, or sanctioned ringette activities in preparation for the 2022/23 season. This decision comes after careful consideration and consultation with various partner sport organizations and provincial regulations.
Please note that MDRA expects that any player accepting a position on a team is agreeing that at any point if the province (or any of our governing bodies) change our vaccination requirements, that MDRA reserves the right that they could replace the individual’s spot on the team if they do not meet the new policy requirements. This will apply to any player or member of the coaching staff (either currently vaccinated or not); as the minimum vaccination level could be raised to having one or more booster(s) rather than the existing 2 vaccinations that exist today as being fully vaccinated.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Jenn Thompson presidentmdra@gmail.com.
On September 1, 2021 the Government of Ontario announced its decision to require, beginning on Sept. 22, 2021, proof of full vaccination (two doses plus 14-day waiting period) for access to certain indoor facilities, including indoor “facilities used for sports and fitness activities and personal fitness training”, such as gyms, fitness and recreational facilities - including rinks.
We have now received confirmation from our facilities and effective Sept. 22, 2021, City of Ottawa facilities will require certain (see chart below) patrons to be fully vaccinated and will have to provide proof of their vaccination status and ID to enter their facilities. For the “Required” patrons, please come prepared with your vaccination certificate and ID to enter arenas in our area. Anyone who cannot provide proof of the required documents will not be allowed entry.
Updated: The government of Ontario has now mandated that enhanced vaccine certificates with QR codes are the only acceptable proof of vaccination.
***We understand this may cause a delay in gaining access to the facility and once again we ask for your patience, kindness and understanding in the days ahead.******
In addition, Ringette Ontario released their own vaccination policy stating that as of November 1, 2021, all Ringette Ontario participants who are 18 years of age or older, including Players, Bench Staff, Officials, Minor Officials, Third-Party Contractors and Volunteers much also show proof of full vaccination (two doses plus 14-day waiting period) to participate in RO Sanctioned Activities. Ringette Ontario has also included a zero-tolerance stance towards any behaviour that would be deemed contrary to their Code of Conduct, including but not limited to, verbal or physical threats, verbal abuse, harassment, or aggression. Those who behave in such a manner will be subject to discipline under the Ringette Ontario Discipline & Complaints Policy with their behaviour constituting a Major Infraction.
NEW: As of October 9, 2021 - the City of Ottawa requires proof of vaccination for all individuals, 12 years of age and older, who are supporting indoor Organized Sports. This includes, but is not limited to, volunteers, coaches and officials.
Updated:
Vaccination Reference Chart:
| Are you? | Attending? | Requirement | Source |
| Under the age of 12 | Players, spectators and bench staff of any MDRA activity | Players and spectators under the age of 12 are not currently required to provide proof of vaccination | Government of Ontario 1, 5, 6 |
| 12 years of age (and 12 weeks) or older | Players, spectators and bench staff of any MDRA activity | As of Dec 20, must provide proof of full vaccination and government ID to enter the facility a. Medical exemption information below | Government of Ontario 1, 5, 6 City of Ottawa 2, 4 Ringette Ontario 3 |
What proof is required?
Proof of vaccination - Electronic or hard copy of enhanced vaccine certificate with QR code confirming two doses received at least 14 days prior. Vaccination receipts can be downloaded and printed from the provincial vaccine portal.
While verification by scanning of QR codes is now mandatory, nine First Nations communities are excluded from this requirement. Members of these communities are still permitted to show their vaccine receipt and a form of ID. They are:
Valid identification that includes name and birthdate - Identification must be issued by an institution or public body and show the name of the identification holder and their date of birth. Photo identification is not required and the identification does not need to be government-issued.
Some examples of valid identification:
Exemptions
As per the Ontario Government, individuals who cannot receive the vaccine due to medical reasons will be granted medical exemption. Individuals participating in a Health Canada approved COVID-19 vaccine clinical trial as specified in Ministry of Health guidance are also eligible for an exemption. In both cases, individuals must provide proof showing an enhanced vaccination certificate with official QR code updated to include the exemption.
Where to Find Information:
To download your enhanced vaccine certificate with QR code and to find out more information about proof of vaccination requirements, please visit the Ontario Government's Proof of COVID-19 vaccination page.
Other Facilities & Additional Information:
We know that our MDRA teams will, on occasion, access facilities not operated by the City of Ottawa and as such we ask that you please follow the instructions posted by these facilities as they will vary from rink to rink.
If you have not already seen the information on vaccinations requirements, please see the links here:
In Closing:
Please note that showing proof of vaccination does not exempt you from completing the COVID screening prior to entering the facility. Please make sure to check in with an MDRA volunteer to sign in for contact tracing purposes AND show proof of vaccination (if required). We ask that you enter the facility through the main doors in order to be able to see the MDRA volunteers. For instance, accessing Fred Barret via the East door means that you miss the MDRA volunteer. Not having accurate records puts MDRA in a position of potentially losing our ice contracts. Please help us by seeking out our volunteers and completing your screening.
We know that this will impact access to rink facilities across the city and we ask for your continued patience and understanding as we work through these new protocols put into place by our Provincial government, local health units, governing bodies (such as Ringette Ontario) and City facilities management. It’s important to note that at any given time provincial guidelines and COVID-19 protocols are subject to change. Organizations like MDRA are asked to pivot with very limited knowledge on timing, so we ask that you stay as up to date and informed as much as possible as we work together for a common goal of giving our MDRA families a great and safe ringette experience.
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to any members of the MDRA Board of Directors.
Sincerely,
MDRA Board of Directors