Sports and Activities Guidelines

Operators must implement measures to prevent the transmission of COVID-19. Note: this guideline is not intended to be used for animal competitions. For competitive and show events involving animals, please refer to the Racing and Rodeo Guidelines.

COVID-19 droplet transmission is much more likely when individuals are in close contact. The likelihood of transmission between individuals participating in sport, physical activity and recreation in an indoor setting is significantly higher. Transmission is less likely in an outdoor setting, where air flow is greater and there is more space for individuals to keep physically distanced.

COVID-19 can also be transmitted if someone touches a contaminated surface and then touches their face without washing their hands. Many activities involve shared equipment among participants, coaches/staff, instructors, officials or volunteers. The virus does not enter the body through skin; it enters through the eyes, nose or mouth when an individual touches their face. This is why regular hand hygiene and cleaning of high-touch surfaces are so important.

Each sports organization and/or facility must establish a plan for how to avoid physical contact and the risk of COVID-19 transmission between participants. The guidance should align with provincial and national sporting bodies for each activity and be at least as restrictive as provincial guidelines.

• Effective June 20, 2021, the restrictions on group sizes will be lifted.
  • Competition including tournaments are permitted.
  • Interprovincial play is not permitted.
  • Masking is required (indoor sports). Please refer to the Public Health Order - Face Coverings for masking requirements.
  • 150 spectators per facility, not including participants, staff, coaches and officials.
• Outdoor sports and activities will be allowed beginning May 30, 2021, in Step One of the Saskatchewan Re-Opening Roadmap.
• Contactless fundraising activities are permitted.
• Staff and participants should be given information on physical distancing and other requirements prior to attending. Staff should discourage gathering.
• Signage must be posted to caution patrons about the risks of COVID-19.
• Encourage participants to arrive no more than five to 10 minutes before the scheduled activity to reduce people gathering in groups.
• Wherever possible, activities should be relocated to outdoor settings.
• Facility ventilation systems should be operational and appropriate for the activities being practised in them.
• Facilities may need to consider:
  • Increasing air circulation and ventilation, while preventing turbulent air flow.
  • Providing natural ventilation by opening windows and doors, wherever possible, to increase air flow.
• Remove unnecessary common items, such as magazines, brochures, etc.
• Encourage patrons to limit their time spent in the facility, as well as maintain physical distancing when returning to their vehicles or homes.
• Registration processes should be completed online whenever possible; however, if in-person registration is required, physical distancing and disinfecting pens between uses is required.
• Indoor play spaces are permitted; however, increased cleaning and disinfection are required. Operators must put measures in place to ensure physical distancing of non-household members and provide access to handwashing facilities or hand sanitizer approved by Health Canada (DIN or NPN number). Encourage operators to post signage.
• All food and beverage service and consumption must be separated (i.e. cordoned off) from the primary activity/games area. Food or drink is not permitted in the activity/game area.
• Team celebrations, banquets, gatherings and/or awards should be done virtually whenever possible. In-person events must follow the Banquets and Conference Centre Facilities Guidelines, unless being held in a restaurant or licensed establishment where the Restaurants and Licensed Establishments Guidelines apply.
• Drinking fountains must be closed. Water bottle filling stations are acceptable if appropriately and frequently disinfected.
• Contactless payment is preferred; however, cash may be accepted where necessary.
• Instruction is permitted with no contact and appropriate physical distancing and mask use.
• Spectators should be limited as much as possible and priority given to parents and others needed to support the players, particularly for sports involving young children.
• Discourage gatherings of spectators in common areas.
• Spectators (excluding parents and guardians where necessary for player support) should be kept out of participant spaces (e.g. fields of play, courts, bench areas, change rooms). Refer to additional spectator requirements below.
• Where rental equipment is provided, it should be assigned to one person only and be laundered or cleaned and disinfected upon return.
• Masks in accordance with the Public Health Order – Face Coverings are required during all indoor sporting activities, with aquatic activities the only exception.
• For music, art, dance and drama, please refer to the Performing Arts Guidelines.

For additional information, please call the Business Response Team at 1-844-800-8688 or email supportforbusiness@gov.sk.ca.

Indoor Sports

• Effective June 20, 2021, the restrictions on group sizes will be lifted.
  • No limits on group sizes.
  • Competition including tournaments are permitted.
  • Interprovincial play is not permitted.
  • Masking is required (indoor sports). Please refer to the Public Health Order - Face Coverings for masking requirements.
  • 150 spectators per facility, not including participants, staff, coaches and officials.
• Face coverings (see: public health order) are not required for the following:
  • Players and on-court referees of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL), while participating in a basketball game or practice related to the CEBL for the duration of that activity only.
  • Athletes identified as potential competitors at the Olympic or Paralympic Games by Sport Canada (carded) or the National Sport Organization (i.e. NSO identified or long listed).

For additional information, please call the Business Response Team at 1-844-800-8688 or email supportforbusiness@gov.sk.ca.

Outdoor Individual Non-Contact Sports (e.g. tennis, pickle ball, disc golf)

Preparing to play

• Do not play if you or your playing partner(s) are feeling unwell or exhibiting any symptoms, such as fever, cough or difficulty breathing.
• Wash your hands with soap and water, and bring hand sanitizer approved by Health Canada (DIN or NPN) with you.
• Clean your equipment.
• Avoid commonly touched surfaces; however, when you must, wash your hands and disinfect any surfaces you have been in contact with, including door handles, gates and benches.

Play

• Be sure to arrive just before your scheduled time to prevent queuing or gathering.
• No sharing of equipment (e.g. racquets, discs).
• Respect physical distancing of two metres with other players at all times – on and off the playing surface.

After Play

• Wash your hands with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use hand sanitizer approved by Health Canada (DIN or NPN).
• Leave the playing area immediately after you complete play.

Organizers

• Gatherings must comply with the outdoor gathering limits in the public health order.
• Stagger booking times to ensure a buffer between participants.
• When possible, online reservations and payments are recommended.
• Encourage physical distancing of two metres. When possible, keep a record of participants using the facility. 

Indoor/Leisure Activities (e.g. bowling, darts, billiards, golf)

• Masks must be worn in accordance with the Public Health Order – Face Coverings.
• Recreational play is permitted.
• Activity areas must be arranged in a way that ensures three metres of physical distancing between non-household groups.
• Reservations are recommended and scheduled times should be put in place to avoid queuing in common areas.
• Signage regarding all COVID-19 procedures and policies that are in place must be posted around the facility to remind patrons and staff of precautions.
• In the case of bowling, staff should direct patrons to their designated lane and explain the system for receiving shoes, balls and the scoring system.
• Items such as bowling balls, shoes and bowling areas are to be cleaned and sanitized after each use and left in a drop zone as determined by management/staff.
• Facilities should install Plexiglas or provide other barriers at service counters to ensure staff and guests can remain physically distanced.
• Maintain two metres of physical distance between non-household members; however, during activities where space is inadequate, bookings must be limited to four persons or less.
• Hand sanitizer approved by Health Canada (DIN or NPN) or soap and water handwashing stations should be made available in visible locations throughout the facility, including at all entry points, pay stations and other high-touch locations for customers and staff.
• In addition to routine cleaning, and disinfecting of customer areas between groups, common area surfaces that have frequent contact with hands should be cleaned and disinfected several times per day and when visibly dirty. Items being used for an activity (e.g. scoring system buttons, ball returns, seating, pool cues, billiards tables, balls, golf balls, clubs, darts and boards, etc.) must be cleaned and disinfected between each group of patrons.
• Special attention should be paid to commonly touched surfaces in such as doorknobs, light switches, toilet handles, counters, hand rails, touch screen surfaces, POS terminals, keypads, and workstations, etc. Please see the Cleaning and Disinfection Guidelines for more information.
• Guest contact information must be obtained for all guests on the property daily for contact tracing purposes, and kept for a 30-day period.
• During the activity, no food and beverage is permitted. Food and beverages must be consumed prior to or after the activity.
• Food or beverage may be served if there is an area designated for the consumption of food or beverage that is separate and apart from an event or any other activity taking place in the facility, and the food or beverage is only consumed in the designated area. Please see the Restaurants and Licensed Establishment Guidelines.

Beginning May 30, 2021, in Step One of the Saskatchewan Re-Opening Roadmap, competition and game play for outdoor team sports may proceed if the following requirements are met:

• Participants may not compete if they are feeling unwell.
• Players and coaches should be encouraged to screen for COVID-19 symptoms prior to arriving to practice and play, using the self-assessment tool at saskatchewan.ca/COVID19.
• No interprovincial travel. Teams competing in regional interprovincial leagues need to contact the Business Response Team prior to beginning play.
• Capacity must be in compliance with the public health order for public outdoor gatherings for each playing surface or game area. Public outdoor gatherings are set to expand to a limit of 150 people on May 30, 2021, as part of the Re-Opening Roadmap. Common areas, such as those where there are multiple playing surfaces, must also be in compliance with gathering limits in the public health order.
• Individual and protective equipment should not be shared. When helmets and bats or other equipment are shared, cleaning and disinfecting must occur between each use.
• Commonly touched equipment used for game play (e.g. game ball, football) is routinely replaced or disinfected during the course of practice or play.
• Coaches, officials, umpires, referees and players who are not on the field are not required to wear masks outdoors under the public health order. However, masks may be worn if they are more comfortable with that layer of protection.
• No shaking hands, high-fives, etc.
• Spectators not from the same household should maintain two metres of physical distancing.
• Spectators must remain in designated areas. Masks are not required to be worn outdoors under the public health order, but they may be worn if spectators are more comfortable with that layer of protection.
• Hand sanitizer approved by Health Canada (DIN or NPN) or soap and water handwashing stations should be available for participants and spectators.
• No sharing of water bottles.
• Public washrooms, when available, are cleaned and disinfected regularly, and soap and water or hand sanitizer is available.
• Contact information of the coaches, officials and players should be recorded by the home team and maintained in order to assist with contact tracing for 30 days in the case of a confirmed case of COVID-19.

Ski Resorts

• Guests must be advised to arrive dressed appropriately to ski or snowboard minimizing the use of indoor space. No personal belongings, or food, may be stored within the chalet at any time.
• As per the public health order, public mask use is mandatory for all indoor spaces.
• There are currently no capacity requirements for ski hills, as long as two metres of physical distance can be maintained between non-household groups.
• Please see the Cleaning and Disinfection Guidelines for more information.
• Special attention must be taken to ensure physical distancing inside lodges and warm-up shacks, rental areas, lift lineups and concessions. Additional staff may be required to ensure mitigation measures are maintained.
• Guest contact information will be obtained for all guests on the property daily for contact tracing purposes and kept for a four-week period. 
• Tickets and all products and services should be available for pre-purchase online.
• Touchless payment options are encouraged. 
• All lift ticket redemptions, retail product redemptions, etc. are provided at outside ticket windows, where possible.
• Equipment rentals are permitted. Rental equipment must be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected between patrons.
• Parking areas must be monitored to prevent congregation of patrons, and vehicles must be spaced a minimum of two metres apart.
• All instructors and participants will be screened for COVID-19 symptoms prior to beginning the lesson.
• All instructors must wear a mask, and participants should be strongly encouraged to wear a mask.
• One-on-one or small group lessons consisting of household members are permitted as long as physical distancing is maintained between the instructor and participants.
• Group lessons that are not one-on-one are permitted as long as physical distancing is maintained between the instructor and participants, and between non-household participants. Groups must not have more than eight participants.
• Pre-registration is required for all lessons. Contact information must be gathered to provide, as needed, to public health for contact tracing purposes.
• Instructors can refer to resources from the Canadian Ski Instructors Alliance or Canadian Association of Snowboard Instructors to obtain additional information specific to COVID-19 mitigation measures and instruction.
• Food or beverage may be served if there is an area designated for the consumption of food or beverage that is separate and apart from an event or any other activity, taking place in the facility, and the food or beverage is only consumed in the designated area.
• Food and beverage areas must follow the Restaurants and Licensed Establishments Guidelines in the Re-Open Saskatchewan Plan.
• Outdoor dining area should be provided and encouraged. Consider installing a take-out window for guests to dine outside.
• Indoor warm-up areas must be reduced to 50 per cent capacity or two metres distance between household groups, whichever is less. Consider using alternate methods, such as using your vehicle to warm up. The capacity is limited by seating and spacing restrictions as outlined in the Restaurants and Licensed Establishments Guidelines. These areas must undergo increased cleaning and disinfection.
• Patrons must be masked in warm-up areas.
• COVID-19 Workplace Information in the Re-Open Saskatchewan Plan must be followed.
• All staff should undergo a health-screening questionnaire prior to the start of their shift.
• Staff areas, including lunchrooms, must ensure appropriate guidelines are followed (e.g. physical distancing requirements, hand hygiene, cleaning and disinfection, etc.).

Outdoor Recreation Areas

• This includes motocross, cycling, hiking, outdoor rinks, tobogganing hills, cross-country ski trails, snowmobile trails and similar facilities.
• Every person who visits an outdoor recreation area must follow public health orders in order to prevent the transmission of COVID-19.
• People exhibiting signs of illness should not enter outdoor recreation areas. If you think you may be sick, use the Government of Saskatchewan's self-assessment tool for COVID-19 and follow the subsequent directions.
• The maximum number of people permitted at any one time on outdoor rinks or skating surfaces will not exceed 30, as long as a physical distance of two metres is maintained between non-household groups.
• Avoid gathering with other individuals or groups.
• For larger organized outdoor skating surfaces (e.g. flooded fields at football stadiums and skating ovals/loops), a plan must be provided to the Business Response Team. Capacity allowances will be determined based on the plan for these larger specialty ice surfaces.
• People not from the same household must maintain two metres of physical distancing at all times. Limit gathering with other people when entering and leaving the outdoor recreation area and supervising children.
• Group sizes must comply with the outdoor public gathering restrictions in the public health order.
• Ensure frequent hand hygiene for everyone before, during and after outdoor play.
• It is recommended to carry and use hand sanitizers approved by Health Canada (DIN or NPN number) before and after using recreational areas and equipment.
• If rink surfaces or recreational areas are busy, come back when it's not as busy or use another area.
• Do not share toys or sports equipment between groups.
• Consider limiting children and other members of your household to only visiting outdoor recreational areas close to your home. This will help limit the number of people your family may come into contact with during the visit.
• Signage must be posted near recreational facility entrances and in shacks to caution about the risks of COVID-19, as well as educate users in following the guidelines. Signage should include the following reminders:
  • Individuals who are sick should stay home.
  • A physical distance of two metres must be maintained between people not from the same household.
  • Individuals should wash their hands before and after using parks and playgrounds.
  • Avoid overcrowding. Individual groups must not exceed the restrictions on public gatherings.
• Washroom facilities must have an increased cleaning and disinfecting schedule, ensuring soap and water or a hand sanitizer approved by Health Canada (DIN or NPN number) is available, as well as the proper disposal of paper hand towels.
• Garbage bins should be emptied frequently.

• Patrons/staff who are sick or symptomatic must not enter/participate. Participants, spectators and volunteers should use the Government of Saskatchewan's self-assessment tool for COVID-19 and follow the subsequent directions.
• Participants, coaches, instructors and spectators should continuously self-monitor.
• Organizers must keep a record of attendees. All players, spectators, staff and volunteers should be provided with a sign-in on arrival option, with name, phone number and/or email to facilitate contact tracing, if necessary. Records of attendance must be retained for a minimum of one month. Where possible, do not use a common pen. Providing this information is voluntary for attendees and can only be used for the purposes of COVID-19 contact tracing.
• If a person becomes sick, they should immediately stop participating and return home.
• If a person becomes sick or injured, and first aid or further care is required:
  • Try to limit the number of individuals in contact with the sick person.
  • Place a mask over the individual's mouth and nose if they are not able to do so. Maintain a safe distance until the mask is in place.
• First aid providers caring for people should follow standard precautions. Those who provide direct care requiring close or direct contact should wear a mask.
• Following care, first aid providers should discard the mask and gloves following standard procedures and perform hand hygiene.

• Physical distancing must be observed at all times, with a minimum of two metres of space between individuals and spectator groups from different households.     
• Areas of congregation (e.g. team benches, bleachers) must be set up and used in a way that adheres to physical distancing requirements (i.e. only allow every other row in bleachers, use visual cues, etc.).
• Pylons or other markers should define the group space.
• Schedules should be staggered and the duration of the activity should be specified to promote physical distancing and allow for adequate cleaning and disinfection between uses.
• Wherever possible, promote physical distancing by:
  • Promoting one-way traffic flow to avoid individuals from inadvertently interacting.
  • Placing stickers or signage on the wall/floor every two metres.
  • Limiting lane use on indoor tracks to every other lane to promote physical distancing.
  • Spacing seats or assigning seating at two-metre distances.
  • Reducing capacity in each room, venue, court or ice surface in the facility.
• Common area chairs and tables should be stacked, roped off or removed from the area to promote distancing.
• Consider physical barriers (e.g. Plexiglas) at patron contact points.

• Cleaning and disinfection information for public facilities and workplaces is available.
• Increase the frequency of cleaning and disinfecting of commonly touched surfaces and shared equipment, such as vending machines, water fountain handles, doorknobs, handrails, light switches, countertops, tables, equipment handles and consoles.
• All frequently touched surfaces should be cleaned and disinfected prior to a new group being provided access to field space, including benches, dugouts, bleachers, railings, picnic areas, gates, etc.
• Increase the frequency of cleaning gymnasium floors to reduce the risk of transmission from shared objects (e.g. balls) and those who use wheelchairs.
• Encourage participants to bring their own equipment to the facility.
• Participant-owned equipment, including sport gloves, should be visibly clean.
• Shared equipment (e.g. tennis balls, basketballs, bats, etc.) must be cleaned and disinfected frequently.
• Ensure that handwashing sinks are fully stocked with soap and paper towels.
• Place hand sanitizer approved by Health Canada (DIN or NPN number) in dispensers or soap and water handwashing stations near doors, common use equipment, washrooms/locker rooms, courtside and team areas, and other high-touch locations for patrons and staff. Patrons should be encouraged to bring their own hand sanitizer when possible.
• Hand hygiene should be performed prior to play and contacting shared equipment, as well as through the duration of the activity (i.e. intermissions, breaks, etc.) and at the end.

• Spitting (includes seeds, tobacco and fluids) and other similar activities increase the risk of transmission of COVID-19 and are not permitted.
• Individuals must not share personal items (i.e. equipment or beverage containers).
• Congratulatory gestures such as high fives and handshakes are not permitted.
• Spectators, participants and players, staff, coaches and volunteers should try to minimize cheering and whistling as much as possible to control the spread of COVID-19.
• Consider how to adapt activities to take place outdoors and modify play to avoid physical contact, whenever possible.
• Intentional contact during sport or activity must be avoided. Modifications to activities that avoid physical contact are recommended.

• Limit the sharing of objects and tools by staff (e.g. equipment, gloves) or disinfect between uses.
• Hand hygiene must be performed between tasks.
• Encourage staff to launder uniforms/work clothes between shifts. 
• Employees are required to practise physical distancing at work. Avoid handshakes and any other physical contact with others. Remain at least two metres apart from others whenever possible.
• If staff are unable to maintain two-metre distancing from co-workers, other measures must be in place to prevent the transmission of COVID-19. This may include, but is not limited to, self-monitoring of personal health and supervision by Infection Prevention and Control Officers or Occupational Health and Safety. Other appropriate measures include:
  • Staggering activities to limit the number of staff in a confined area during the same period.
  • Moving activities to another room whenever possible.
  • Altering break times to minimize the number of staff working in close quarters.
• Ensure staff are practising proper hand hygiene and coughing/sneezing etiquette, including:
  • Washing hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
  • Using hand sanitizer approved by Health Canada (DIN or NPN) when hands are not visibly dirty and handwashing isn't available.
  • Avoiding touching their face, mouth, nose and eyes.
  • Coughing or sneezing into a tissue, then immediately disposing of the tissue and washing their hands. If a tissue is not available, they should cough or sneeze into their elbow, not their hands.
• Additional glove use for COVID-19 transmission mitigation is not required. If staff are using gloves, they should be changed after every interaction and when changing tasks. Hand hygiene must be performed between every glove change (hand sanitizer or hand washing with soap and water).
• All workers, especially those in constant contact with the public, should self-monitor for symptoms and use the Government of Saskatchewan's self-assessment tool for COVID-19 and follow the subsequent directions. Facilities should review their employee illness policies to ensure staff are able to remain home when ill (as is required).
• Stagger staff arrival and departure times, lunch times, breaks and meetings to reduce the number of individuals in one place at a given time. Designate lockers and storage spaces for individual workers.
• Ensure staff are adequately trained in new policies and protocols.
• Workplaces are encouraged to have plans in place for increased worker absences due to illness or isolation.
• Workplaces should have a workplace illness policy. If policies do not exist or are not in line with COVID-19 recommendations, workplaces should ensure the following:
  • Sick employees should stay home or are sent home from work if symptoms present.
  • Sick employees use the Government of Saskatchewan's self-assessment tool for COVID-19 and follow the subsequent directions.
  • If an employee has gone home sick, their work areas should be cleaned and disinfected.