Please review the latest update from Hockey NS and Sports NS shown below. 

Hockey NS Update:

The province announced that the move to Phase 5 of the provincial reopening plan will be delayed until Oct. 4.

Sport Nova Scotia has provided an update after Tuesday’s announcement:

COVID-19 Update: September 14, 2021
Today the province announced that Nova Scotia will delay moving into phase 5 of the reopening plan until October 4.  Starting Oct. 4, people who are 12 and older will need to provide proof of full vaccination to participate in most events and activities that bring groups of people together. While the policy is not yet final, it will apply to participants and spectators for indoor and outdoor sports practices, games, competitions and tournaments as well as indoor and outdoor extracurricular school-based activities, including sports. 

We will continue to update you as more information about the details of the vaccine policy become available to us. 

Quick Notes
-An exception policy for people who cannot get vaccinated because of a valid medical or behavioural reason is being developed. 
-Children who turned 12 between January 1 and October 4 this year will have until December 31 to attend events and activities while they get vaccinated; children who turn 12 after October 4 will have three months from their birthday. 

Link: Province of Nova Scotia Press Release: September 14

Regards,

SNS Communications

To read the province’s press release, please click here.

As stated in Sport Nova Scotia’s update below, “Starting Oct. 4, people who are 12 and older will need to provide proof of full vaccination to participate in most events and activities that bring groups of people together. While the policy is not yet final, it will apply to participants and spectators for indoor and outdoor sports practices, games, competitions and tournaments as well as indoor and outdoor extracurricular school-based activities, including sports.”

We all need to do our part to ensure we get to Phase 5. As part of this effort, we once again strongly encourage everyone who is eligible to be vaccinated to do so.

From now until Oct. 4, we would like to remind you that we remain in Phase 4 of the province’s reopening plan. During Phase 4, players, coaches, and officials can practice, train, and compete with up to 59 people in the field of play without social distancing. You are reminded that the field of play refers to the ice surface, team benches, penalty box, timekeeper’s box, and dressing room.

Hockey Nova Scotia applied for and received special exemption from the province and Sport Nova Scotia to allow for a group of this size to be permitted in the field of play during Phase 4. It allows for competition between two teams. To learn more about Phase 4 and what it means for hockey, please click here.

We know you will likely have a lot of questions about today’s announcement, the implementation of this policy, as well as the exception policy that the province is still developing. We will continue to work with Sport Nova Scotia and the province to seek clarity around these issues and we will update you as we receive more information.

As always, we would like to thank you all for your hard work and continued support.

Yours in Hockey,

Amy Walsh

Executive Director

Hockey Nova Scotia

Arnie Farrell

President

Hockey Nova Scotia