COVID-19 Updates | Daily Workplace Round Up for June 10, 2020

COVID-19 Resources for Small Business

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Below are the key announcements from the Federal, Ontario and B.C. governments that touch on workplace issues for June 10, 2020.


Federal

Private Sector Campaign Supports Safe Re-Opening of Businesses

Today, the Canadian Government announced that it has partnered with the People Outside Safely Together (POST) Promise program, an initiative launched by Canadian private sector organizations to help businesses across the country reopen safely.

The “POST Promise” is a voluntary commitment that business owners and managers can make by following five key public health actions that will help prevent the spread of COVID-19:

  1. Maintaining physical distance;
  2. Washing and sanitizing hands;
  3. Cleaning and disinfecting regularly;
  4. Staying home if unwell and self-monitoring for symptoms; and
  5. Practicing respiratory etiquette (including wearing a mask when physical distancing is difficult).

By displaying the “POST Promise” logo, participating businesses can reassure customers that they are doing their part to help protect Canadians’ health and safety.

For more details, see this news release.


Ontario

Beaches and Campsites to Open at Ontario Parks

As Ontario's Stage 2 reopening plan begins on June 12, 2020, gradually over the next several weeks, Ontario Parks will start opening campgrounds, providing more washrooms and drinking water, along with roofed accommodations, park store and rental operations, visitor centres, and sports fields.  More specifically:

  • On June 12, beaches at Ontario Parks will begin opening to the public as maintenance and water testing are completed;
  • On June 15, campers enrolled in this year’s Ontario Parks’ Seasonal Campsite Program will have access to their campsites at the majority of participating provincial parks;
  • Beginning the week of June 22, all other campgrounds in regions entering Stage 2 will gradually open at provincial parks, along with washrooms, water taps and trailer sanitation stations; and
  • Roofed accommodations (e.g., yurts, cabins and lodges, where available), park store and rental operations, visitor centers, and sports fields will be phased in over the next several weeks.

For more information, check out this news release.


Plan to Reopen Postsecondary Education 

The Ontario Government has developed a plan for the gradual and safe resumption of in-person instruction at postsecondary institutions across the province for the summer term.

Starting this July, limited in-person education and training may restart for students who were not able to graduate due to COVID-19 closures. This first phase will allow institutions to reopen to provide in-person instruction to students in essential, frontline, and high labour market demand areas, such as nursing, personal support workers, engineering, and other critical professions.

In September, all students will have the opportunity to attend postsecondary education through virtual learning, in-class instruction, or hybrid formats.

For more information, check out this news release.


British Columbia

State of Emergency Extended until June 23

The government of B.C. has officially extended the provincial state of emergency until the end of the day on June 23, 2020, allowing government to continue to take the necessary steps to keep British Columbians safe.

For more information, check out this news release.


Protection from Liability for Sport Organizations

The B.C. Government has issued a ministerial order that protects amateur sport organizations, their employees and volunteers from damages resulting, directly or indirectly, from COVID-19, provided they are complying with public health orders and provincial sport guidelines.

This means, for example, that a sports organization or its representatives will not be liable for a participant in their sports program being exposed to COVID-19 as a result of participation. This liability protection would be in place as long as they follow applicable guidance, such as viaSport’s Return to Sport Guidelines and public-health guidance on how to prevent the spread of the virus. 

For more information, see Ministerial Order No. M183.


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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