COVID-19 RESPONSE

Latest Update

Monday, March 21, 2022

The Ontario Government has announced the following changes to public health and workplace safety measures effective March 21, 2022:

General masking requirements will be lifted; however, masking will still be required in certain indoor settings, including:

• public transit, including indoor areas and vehicles. This does not include businesses or organizations that provide sightseeing or touring services
• health care settings including: hospitals, psychiatric facilities, doctors’ offices, immunization clinics, laboratories, and specimen collection centres
• home and community care provider locations only if you are an employee or contractor
• long-term care and retirement homes
• shelters and other congregate care settings that provide care and services to medically and socially vulnerable individuals

Also as of March 21, 2022:

• passive screening of individuals prior to entering a business will no longer be required
• businesses and organizations that are open will no longer be required to prepare and make available a safety plan
• capacity limits lifted in all indoor public settings
• proof of vaccination requirements lifted, with businesses being allowed to implement them voluntarily
• public health units can deploy local and regional responses based on local health indicators

While the province has lifted mandatory mask requirements in most settings, it does not mean that the Covid-19 pandemic is over or that the risk of infection has been eliminated. We urge congregations to continue practicing basic public health preventative measures to protect and reduce transmission of Covid-19. 

Singing in Church

Many congregations have questions about congregational singing. While recognizing that the local context of each congregation and each building are unique factors, we encourage you to continue to care for everyone participating in worship. Please keep safety a priority and follow the advice of your public health unit. We encourage all congregations to consider this advice for places of worship:

Indoor group singing, dancing and use of wind instruments has been linked to numerous outbreaks in multiple countries. Avoid risks by considering alternative options.

• Limit the number of performers or vocalists. Avoid unmasked group or congregational singing.
• Use pre-recorded music (audio/ video), or use alternative musical instruments.
• Performers must maintain at least two metres distance from any spectators or be separated by plexiglass or some other impermeable barrier. Clean and disinfect barriers after each use.
• All performers should stand at least two metres apart from other performers and conductor.
• Length of instruments should be accounted for when determining physical distancing.

Please continue to follow the advice of your local public health unit.

Past Regional Updates can be found below.

Recently The United Church of Canada General Council Office provided updated legal advice for Communities of Faith in Ontario. On September 22, 2021 the Ontario Vaccine policy was implemented in Ontario. The passport policy does not apply to places of worship (places of worship are exempt), however, it may apply to your meeting and event spaces.

You can find more information here:

Update on Ontario Vaccine Passports and Mandatory Vaccination Policies – (PDF | 3 pages) September 22, 2021

Please direct specific regulation questions to your local public health unit for best advice.You can also reach out to your Regional Council Congregational Support Minister (Jody Maltby, jmaltby@united-church.ca) or Pastoral Relations Minister. ( Dale Hildebrand, dhildebrand@united-church.ca)

CHURCH EMPLOYEES AND COVID-19

There have been some new developments and updates regarding Infectious Disease Emergency Leave (IDEL) and mandatory vaccinations for church employees.

In summary, IDEL, the temporary provision in the Ontario Employment Standards Act that allows for longer lay-offs and protects an employee’s job status while they are on a lay-off, has been extended to December 31, 2021. It was set to expire on September 25. This means that if you have an employee who was earlier placed on IDEL, that employee does not need to be returned to their job until December 31.

You can find more information here:

Infectious Disease Emergency Leave   (IDEL) Update – (PDF | 3 pages) September 22, 2021

The legal advice around mandatory vaccinations for employees has also been updated. In early summer, the legal advice then was that unless otherwise regulated by the government (e.g., health care workers), employers could run the risk of constructive dismissal if making vaccinations mandatory for their employees. The prevailing direction in Canada is now towards mandatory vaccinations in many workplaces.

The new advice is “not implementing mandatory vaccination policies in a workplace is now the riskier choice, since the obligation of employers to provide a safe workplace outweighs the chance of a human rights code violation or other infringement on the individual.”

You can find more information here:

Mandatory Vaccination Policy – (PDF | 1 page) September 22, 2021

If you are a Community of Faith looking for assistance, please contact Jody Maltby at jmaltby@united-chuch.ca.

If you are an M&P Committee looking for support, please contact Dale Hildebrand at dhildebrand@united-church.ca

Beyond the letter of the law, as people of faith, we are called to uphold the whole community and contribute wherever we can to well-being and safety. We are mindful of all the ways communities of faith have continued to be the church and we continue to hold all of you in our prayers.

Shining Waters Regional Council Staff

Employment

Regional Staff

Dale Hildebrand, Pastoral Relations Minister
Phone: 416-231-7680 | 1-800-268-3781 Extension: 6261
Email: dhildebrand@united-church.ca
(South of HWY 407)

Todd McDonald, Pastoral Relations Minister
Phone: 416-231-7680 | 1-800-268-3781 Extension: 6235
Email: tmcdonald@united-church.ca
(North of HWY 407)

Pastoral Care

Resources

Ways Churches Can Offer Connection and Care During Social Distancing A resource to share from The Presbyterian Church in Canada, Summer 2020

Outline for a Zoom gathering at the time of death, shared by Karen Hilfman, April 28, 2020

Grieving and Remembering at Home, ideas from Susie Henderson, April 28, 2020

Moderator Asks to delay funerals March 24, 2020

6 Tips to Avoid “Zoom Fatigue” in the Age of COVID-19, by Leah D. Schade April 3, 2020

Talking with Children about COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Talking Points from Jeffrey Dale, Shining Waters Regional Council  March 20, 2020

How to Talk to Children About the Coronavirus Pandemic by Alan Wolfelt at the Center for Loss and Life Transition,  March 19, 2020

Things That Matter YouTube Channel by Diane Strickland

Pastoral Care for Grieving Families A Google Doc from our partner church in the U.S. The United Church of Christ

Responsive Prayer Model for On-Line Funeral Google Doc from the United Church of Christ

Video Library

Regional Updates