Extracurricular activities could soon resume in Toronto schools but no 'high contact' sports indoors for now
Extracurricular activities could soon resume in Toronto schools but public health officials are recommending that “high contact and high intensity” sports be held outdoors only for the time being.
The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) and the Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB) announced on the eve of classes resuming that they would pause extra-curricular activities, field trips and mixed-cohort high-contact sports for the month of September on the advice of Toronto Public Health.
The decision represented a significant pivot from earlier in the summer when Education Minister Stephen Lecce repeatedly insisted that students would return to a school environment more closely resembling the pre-pandemic norm.
The pause, however, turned out to be short-lived.
On Monday Toronto Public Health issued new guidance that it says would allow schools to “gradually resume” extracurricular activities once “school routines are established.”
It says that for the time being individuals from different schools and mixed cohorts should “limit interactions” to the outdoors.
It also says that “high contact and high intensity activities” be limited to the outdoors as well.
That could mean that some sports teams, like basketball or volleyball, won’t be able to resume competition just yet.
But Toronto Public Health says that it is recommending that “low contact and low intensity activities” be permitted indoors, so long as participants wear masks and physically distance.
It says that guidelines should be developed to limit the number of extracurricular activities a student can participate in at one time in order to reduce contacts across different cohorts.
It is also recommending that the resumption of extracurricular activities begin with students between the ages of 12 and 17, given that those individuals are eligible to be vaccinated.
The latest guidance also paves the way for the resumption of field trips, though overnight field trips continue to be discouraged.
“A gradual return of field trips can occur, when health and safety protocols including infection prevention and control procedures are well established in the schools, taking into consideration low risk activities and settings,” the guidance states.
While the TDSB and TCDSB did pause extracurricular activities, other boards in the GTA allowed them to resume with precautions.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Pilot reported fire onboard plane carrying fuel, attempted to return to Fairbanks just before crash
One of the two pilots aboard an airplane carrying fuel reported there was a fire on the airplane shortly before it crashed and burned outside Fairbanks, killing both people on board, a federal aviation official said Wednesday.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
7 surveillance videos linked to extortions of South Asian home builders in Edmonton released
The Edmonton Police Service has released a number of surveillance videos related to a series of extortion cases in the city now dubbed 'Project Gaslight.'
Ukraine uses long-range missiles secretly provided by U.S. to hit Russian-held areas, officials say
Ukraine for the first time has begun using long-range ballistic missiles provided secretly by the United States, bombing a Russian military airfield in Crimea last week and Russian forces in another occupied area overnight, American officials said Wednesday.