Ontario Racing is fully committed to ensuring the health and safety of all participates by mitigating manageable risks while racing during the COVID-19 Pandemic. The following document delineates the enhanced operational policies and procedures at Ontario’s racetracks to conduct racing in a safe manner. The base protocols have been developed in collaboration with our horse people associations, public health officials, Ontario Racing and our various governing bodies. Racetracks are required to strengthen these protocols to cover local environments and situations as they occur.
As of October 22, 2021, the following is permitted at racetracks in Ontario:
- Live racing is permitted to safely occur.
- Fully vaccinated and screened guests are permitted to enter racing facilities with no capacity limits.
All personnel accessing a racetrack in Ontario should still follow all applicable COVID-19 Prevention Protocols, including the use of face masks, always practicing physical distancing (when possible), and mandatory daily screening that consists of a screening questionnaire (
click here for the Government of Ontario’s Screening Questions). As an industry, we must continue to work together and to be as safe as possible to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and avoidable future disruptions in racing.
Racetracks in Ontario can be divided into two categories:
- Tracks with site-wide COVID-19 vaccination policies: all on site, including staff, racing personnel and contractors must prove they are fully vaccinated, or they provide a medical or human rights exemption to gain access to the site
- Tracks without site-wide COVID-19 vaccination policies: only guests must prove they are fully vaccinated to gain access to the site.
Group #1: Tracks with site-wide COVID-19 vaccination policies.
Tracks with site-wide COVID-19 vaccination policies are encouraged to update their site access procedures to recognize the safer environment created by a fully vaccinated workforce. This may include:
- Screening to ensure all accessing the site are fully vaccinated or they provide a medical or human rights exemption.
- Online or in-person screening questionnaire to determine if the person has had close contact with any suspected COVID-19 cases or has any COVID-19 symptoms.
- Tracks with site-wide COVID-19 vaccination policies can forego a temperature check with a no-touch thermometer.
Group #2: Tracks without site-wide COVID-19 vaccination policies.
Tracks without site-wide COVID-19 vaccination policies must maintain robust screening to ensure those accessing the site and not required to provide proof of vaccination are COVID-19 free. Tracks can achieve this by maintaining or strengthening their Enhanced Screening Program. An Enhanced Screening Program is needed for tracks that do not have a site-wide vaccination policy and should be active during live racing, qualifying and training. Staff, racing personnel and contractors should have the ability to opt out of the program by providing proof of their COVID-19 vaccination.
The Enhanced Screening Program may include self-administered rapid testing for individuals who have not been vaccinated, in addition to using a COVID-19 daily screening questionnaire and forehead temperature check. The tests can be completed daily, or multiple times a week to help ensure a COVID-19 free site.
It is suggested that all personnel accessing the Paddock, Stable Area, employee commons areas and those interacting with guests be required to participate in the Enhanced Screening Program. These individuals should be offered the option of opting out of the Enhanced Screening Program at any time by confidentially providing the racetrack with proof of their COVID-19 vaccination.
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