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COVID-19 Updates | Daily Workplace Round Up for June 9, 2020

COVID-19 Resources for Small Business
Sarah Visca | Jun 9, 2020

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Below are the key announcements from the Federal, Ontario and Alberta governments that touch on workplace issues for June 9, 2020. 

Federal

Personal Protective Equipment Supply Hub for Organizations

Today, the Government of Canada launched the new Personal Protective Equipment Supply Hub, a website that brings together available resources for organizations buying and selling personal protective equipment (PPE). As organizations re-open for business, they need reliable information on how to buy and sell the necessary supplies required to keep themselves and others safe. The web hub will provide the following:

  • Information for organizations looking to buy PPE includes: best practices to keep people safe, where to find PPE for purchase, consumer advice, and additional health and safety resources.

  • Information for suppliers looking to sell PPE includes: product specifications, procurement and donation opportunities, and business guidance and programs.

  • The hub is not limited to federal resources, and it links to resources from provinces and territories, non-profit organizations, and other associations. 

For more details, see this news release.

Ontario

Re-Opening Child Care Centres to Help Parents Return to Work

Today, the Ontario government announced its plan to reopen child care centres across the province. As the province continues to implement its Framework for Reopening the Province, child care centres and home care providers across Ontario will be able to reopen with the following safety and operational requirements in place:

  • Cohorting ― putting children and staff in groups of 10 or less day over day;
  • COVID-19 response plan ― all child care settings will be required to have a plan in place if a child, parent or staff member/provider is exposed to COVID-19;
  • Screening ― all staff and children must be screened prior to entry to the child care setting.  Anyone feeling unwell must stay home;
  • Daily attendance records ― child care settings must keep daily records of all attendees in order to support contact tracing;
  • Cleaning ― child care settings must be thoroughly cleaned before opening and frequently thereafter;
  • No visitors ― only essential visitors are permitted entry into the child care setting;
  • Implementing drop-off and pick-up protocols in a way that facilitates physical distancing.

The Ontario Government has also announced that summer day camps across the province will be able to reopen this summer, provided that strict health and safety protocols are in place and the guidelines for summer day camps are consulted.  

For more information, check out this news release.

Alberta

Stage 2 of Alberta's Relaunch Strategy begins on June 12

According to strong testing data, active COVID-19 cases in Alberta are lower than expected, which means stage two of the relaunch strategy can safely begin on June 12, a week sooner than expected. 

As of June 12, 2020: 

Businesses & Activities Allowed to Re-Open with Restrictions:

  • K-12 schools, for requested diploma exams and summer school, following guidance
  • Libraries
  • More surgeries
  • Wellness services such as massage, acupuncture and reflexology
  • Personal services (esthetics, cosmetic skin and body treatments, manicures, pedicures, waxing, facial treatment, artificial tanning)
  • Indoor recreation, fitness, and sports, including gyms and arenas
  • Movie theatres and theatres
  • Community halls
  • Team sports
  • Pools for leisure swimming
  • VLTs in restaurants and bars
  • Casinos and bingo halls (but not table games)
  • Instrumental concerts

Expanded Events and Gatherings:

Maximum 50 people:

  • Indoor social gatherings – including wedding and funeral receptions, and birthday parties

Maximum 100 people:

  • Outdoor events and indoor seated/audience events – including wedding and funeral ceremonies

No cap on the number of people (with public health measures and physical distancing in place):

  • Worship gatherings
  • Restaurants, cafés, lounges and bars
  • Casinos
  • Bingo halls

There is more flexibility for ‘cohort’ groups – small groups of people whose members do not always keep two metres apart:

  • A household can increase its close interactions with other households to a maximum of 15 people
  • Performers can have a cohort of up to 50 people (cast members or performers)
  • Sports teams can play in region-only cohorts of up to 50 players (mini leagues)
  • People could be part of a sports/performing and household cohort

For more information, including what is still not approved in stage 2, check out this news release.

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Sarah Visca
Sarah Visca is the Operations Manager at ConnectsUs HR, a company that provides tools & resources to quickly set up a Human Resources department.  
You can contact her here.