News From The MBRC
A spirited group of cyclists, riding in & around Southern Ontario escarpment for sport and fitness
A spirited group of cyclists, riding in & around Southern Ontario escarpment for sport and fitness
As of June 12, 2020, the Provincial Government will be moving to Stage 2 of their Restart Plan, which includes increasing group activities to a maximum of ten (10) people. This change is now reflected in the Ontario Cycling Association Return to Cycling Update V.3 and Progressive Return to Cycling Policy.
With the warmer temperatures and the loosening of restrictions over the past few weeks, we want to remind our members that social distancing measures still need to be followed. We have created the below graphic to demonstrate some group ride formations that can be used to safely enjoy riding with others.
https://www.ontariocycling.org/return-to-sport-june-10th-update/
It is important to clarify what is meant when we refer to OCA sanctioned activities. Sanctioned activities are those that are run by clubs/teams who have submitted the required paperwork for their activity and received approval from the OCA. These activities provide the club/team and its members with insurance coverage.
Club and Team Group Activities including group rides and coach led training activities ARE ELIGIBLE FOR SANCTIONING under the following requirements:
a) All participants must have a valid 2020 OCA Membership
b) Activities must adhere to the most up to date published OCA Progressive Return to Cycling Policy
c) All participants must have signed the ONTARIO CYCLING ASSOCIATION ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, RELEASE, IMDEMNITY and ASSUMPTION of RISK regarding COVID-19
Adult Waiver
Minor Waiver
d) Coach led training must continue to abide by Responsible Coaching Movement and Safe Sport requirements [i.e. One on One Coaching with an athlete under 18 is not permitted]
e) Participants must adhere to all provincial, regional, and municipal restrictions [e.g. physical distancing]
f) Activities must be submitted and approved as per OCA Process/Policy for Sanctioned Activities [previously submitted/approved activities must be re-submitted]
g) Groups must be comprised of five (5) or fewer participants at all times:
a) Virtual Racing/Training – Remain eligible for sanctioning
b) Recorded Club/Team Managed Individual Rides – Not Permitted
Upon further consultation with our legal experts, it has been decided that the hosting of recorded individual activities over an established timeframe and location may not comply with provincial restrictions and are no longer eligible for sanctioning at this time.
The Ontario Cycling Association continues to fully support Cycling Canada’s response to the ongoing situation surrounding COVID-19.
As the Provincial and Federal governments continue to provide more information regarding the re-opening of various sectors, we will continue to provide updates to our members and partners regarding the status of cycling events.
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Cycling Canada and our provincial and territorial cycling associations have been committed to making decisions in the interest of ensuring a safe sporting environment for our members and participants at all levels and in all parts of the country. While there are now varying signs of improvement in the pandemic across the country and some provinces are beginning to carefully ease COVID-19 restrictions, we feel that it is prudent at this time to extend the list of cancelled or postponed events on the national calendar to include all events originally scheduled on or before July 31st.
As our provincial and territorial cycling associations work through progressive return-to-sport protocols with their respective provincial governments and health authorities, we are working diligently and collaboratively with all organizers and stakeholders to develop an updated calendar by June 19th which would include national calendar events to be hosted between August 1st and November 30th.
Cycling Canada will assess the viability and status of each of these events on a case-by-case basis in collaboration with the host province and local public health authorities. It must be emphasized that if we cannot definitively ensure the safety of our participants, volunteers and host communities we will not host such national calendar events.
We want to remind and encourage all members of our Canadian cycling community to consider the following core principles before organizing or engaging in any cycling activity:
For an up-to-date list of cancelled or postponed events on the national calendar, please consult the event list on the Cycling Canada website. For more information regarding Cycling Canada recommendations, please consult our COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions
As a follow-up to the last week’s posting regarding the return to sport process, we wanted to provide the following update.
Since the Provincial Government’s announcement, we have been engaged with Ministry representatives, legal experts, and insurance providers to both interpret what is now permissible under the law as well as protocols that must be in place for safe delivery of sport activities. This is a very complex process and the OCA will be proceeding with the utmost caution. This means that some of the questions being asked of us will take longer to provide complete and clear answers. We recognize this is frustrating and we ask for your patience. Taking the time to properly prepare appropriate protocols will ensure there is confidence that the information we provide has been properly developed by health and legal experts as well as those within the cycling community to mitigate risks to members, athletes, coaches, and clubs.
It is important to note that “sanctioned” activities are those covered by the OCA insurance program as managed by our broker and do not reflect individual riding or activities outside approved club/team activities. At the present time, club & team rides, training rides, programs and competitions, which are insured under the Ontario Cycling Association program, are not approved or sanctioned. Although the Premier’s announcement regarding “Phase 1” reopening was encouraging, we are still required to adhere to the laws pertaining to organized events and public gatherings. On a limited basis, it appears that some facility-based operations will be permitted for the purposes of training high performance athletes once the appropriate protocols have been developed.
Additionally, under the current restrictions, there are no plans for hosting events or returning to competition, even in a time trial format.
All of that being said, we have confirmed with the insurance broker that the following club/team activities can be sanctioned with prior notice and approval by the OCA:
Virtual Rides/Racing
With the COVID-19 situation, more and more clubs, teams, organizers and associations have turned to online riding/racing simulation platforms to provide their members some semblance of cycling group activity. These activities can now be sanctioned as part of your club/team activities so long as the following information is provided.
1. Club/Team name
2. Name of activity
3. Platform the activity is taking place on (Zwift, Fulgaz, etc.)
4. Date of activity (If weekly, please indicate this)
5. Approximate start time of activity
6. Full description of activity (Race vs Ride, Distance, etc.)
With any non-private activity, there is a potential risk that non-members participate. All those using these platforms will need to strongly consider the potential risk of hosting an activity with non-members on these platforms prior to submitting their activity information.
Clubs/Teams should keep track of all members who registered for each activity.
*NEW* Recorded Club/Team Managed Individual Rides
While the logistics of a Return to Sport for group activities is still being finalized, pending further reopening of sport announcements, we have confirmed with our broker that club/team organized recorded individual rides (Strava for example) can be sanctioned. As with all club/team activities under the OCA program, these activities must be previously reported and approved prior to being sanctioned.
The process for this would require the club to submit in writing the following items:
1. Which Club/Team this is for
2. What cycling discipline this is for
3. What day(s) is this applicable for
4. What is the route map – vetted and approved by club management
5. Method used to record rides by club members (i.e. Strava)
6. Time of day allowance (Maximum 12 hours)
7. Club contact name and email
Example of a possible activity.
Club/Team: Little Johnny’s Cycling Squad
Cycling Discipline: Road
Date: Each Wednesday
Route Map: Insert Strava Link here
Time of Day Allowance: 10am – 7pm
Club/Team Contact: Jenny Cycle,
Clubs/Teams submitting activities must abide by all Provincial and Municipal regulations and ensure its members are aware of these regulations.
Note: this is NOT the same as 24-hour coverage and is only subject to prior approval of the activity by the OCA.