League & Program Update: Return to Play Paused

Dear OCUA Members,

As with the past 20 months, navigating the pandemic has required adjustment, adaptation and understanding. The OCUA leadership has been continually monitoring the evolving COVID19 situation, watching the Government of Ontario updates, reading bulletins and reviewing notices from Ottawa’s Medical Officer of Health, and along with the surging case counts and infection rates.

While the City of Ottawa and the Ontario Provincial Government have not officially paused indoor sports, Dr. Moore, Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health has recommended that, “We reduce in-person contact and limit gathering sizes to slow the spread and allow more time for Ontarians to get fully vaccinated or those eligible to get their booster dose”. Furthermore, Ottawa Public Health’s (OPH) Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Vera Etches, issued a special statement on December 31, 2021, that recommends, “For the next few weeks, regardless of your vaccination status, pause or greatly limit the size of indoor gatherings with people outside of your household, including pausing participation in extracurricular indoor sports and team play.” 

While OCUA announced yesterday that programming was set to resume beginning January 3rd, 2022, in light of the recent special statement from Dr. Etches, there is cause for reconsideration. We have also had a number of players, teams, parents and coaches inform us that they are not comfortable playing at this time.

Considering all the above, the OCUA Leadership has made the decision to delay the return to Winter Session 1 Leagues & Programs for at least one week to January.10.  In alignment with OPH, OCUA will continue to monitor the situation and communicate our restarting plan with all members weekly.

OCUA wants to thank all of you, our members, for trusting us to make Ultimate as safe as possible, and an extra big thanks to our captains, coaches and coordinators for their time and taking the brave steps back to make our Summer, Fall and Winter Session 1 seasons to date, fun and enjoyable.

We also encourage members, if you are eligible, to book your booster dose.

OCUA will continue to monitor the situation and will provide updates as appropriate.

Stay safe,
Britany Gordon
OCUA Executive Director