Hello LBC,

Please see below letter from TDSB regarding our permite for the season. Summary: The season will start in January at the earliest. However, there is currently no information being provided regarding access until a later date. We will keep you posted as we know more. Stay safe!

Dear Permit Applicants:
Thank you for your patience and understanding as we continue to work through the strategies for the safe reopening of schools. The health and safety of all users of our buildings drives all decisions regarding access to buildings outside of instructional hours.

A number of protocols have been established to enhance health and safety. These include
sanitation procedures that require enhanced cleaning of high-touch surfaces during occupancy as well as cleaning and sanitizing of shared space between different cohorts of users. Given these frequent, intense and workload-heavy procedures, we have reconsidered the use of school facilities outside of instructional hours.

As a result of additional, expanded and stringent COVID-19 related health and safety measures that must be performed by our staff to keep school facilities safe we have made the difficult decision to delay the issuing of evening permits in our schools during the Fall period. Leaseholders, before and after school programs, including the City ARC programs are exempted from this directive. The TDSB fields will remain open and available for evening permits, for groups to use in accordance with the physical distancing requirements currently in place or as the COVID -19 Guidelines get updated by Toronto Public Health (TPH).

I know that this will be disappointing news for many applicants. You are very valuable community partners who offer great community services and programs in our school facilities. It is in this sense of partnership that I ask for your understanding as we safely navigate and meet the health and safety standards of what has become the new COVID-19 normal. Rest assured that the TDSB will continue to review this decision based on new information received from TPH. The Permit Unit will stay in touch with applicants and share any updates as to when we anticipate changes to this decision.

Sincerely,
Steve Shaw, Executive Officer Facilities and Planning

Following the letter that went out to all permit holders on August 24, 2020, we have received some follow up questions. We have decided to send the responses to all permit holders in the event that some might have similar follow up questions.

All permit holders operating under the Community Use of Schools hours are impacted. This includes the following:
1. All evening indoor permits that were scheduled from 6pm to 10pm – Monday through Friday
2. All Indoor permits that were scheduled to run on Saturday and Sunday
3. All swimming pool permits operating in the TDSB except for the City leased pools
4. Programs or organization operating under lease agreements will be allowed to operate within their lease agreement limits, this includes CRCs attached to Board Facilities
5. Before and After school programs refer to programs that being delivered during instructional hours. These programs support the student needs and are offered at the discretion of the Principal

The period covered by this decision is from the month of September 2020 to December 31, 2020.

If at any time the situation changes, the Permit Unit will be sending notifications to all permit holders either through your permit discussion portal or through the email notification.

Thank you for understanding.