Toronto Blue Jays to return to Rogers Centre by month's end
The Toronto Blue Jays announced Friday that they will return to Rogers Centre starting July 30.
"After nearly two years away, the Toronto Blue Jays are finally coming home to Canada beginning July 30," a release issued by the team said.
"The club was granted a National Interest Exemption by the federal government that allows Major League Baseball games to be played at Rogers Centre, with robust health and safety protocols in place."
"Following a careful review by public health officials at every level of government, a National Interest Exemption has been approved that will permit the Toronto Blue Jays to return to Toronto and play home games at the Rogers Centre," Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino said in a statement.
"This decision was made in conjunction with the Public Health Agency of Canada, with the approval of provincial and municipal public health officials."
Mendicino added that the plan includes pre- and post-arrival testing of everyone crossing the border, along with additional testing four times a week for unvaccinated individuals.
The team said unvaccinated and partially vaccinated people on both home and visiting teams will only be permitted to leave their residence to participate in baseball activities at Rogers Centre for the duration of their first 14 days in Canada.
The Blue Jays haven't played at Rogers Centre since September 2019. They played home games during the shortened 2020 season in Buffalo and started this season in Dunedin, Florida before returning to Buffalo.
"First and foremost, the Blue Jays wish to thank Canadians for their unprecedented public health efforts and support for the team," the release said.
"Without you, Blue Jays baseball would not be coming home this summer."
The club says that 2021 and 2022 season ticket holders will receive communication directly shortly.
With files from The Associated Press.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
U.S. paused bomb shipment to Israel to signal concerns over Rafah invasion, official says
The U.S. paused a shipment of bombs to Israel last week over concerns that Israel was approaching a decision on launching a full-scale assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah against the wishes of the U.S.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.