June 10, 2021| June 10
re: Roadmap to reopen Ontario

Dear Ongwanada family members,

As the Province enters step one of its Roadmap to Re-open, we are receiving a number of inquiries regarding what this means for the people we support and their families.

Effective Monday June 14th we are re-opening our Crescent Centre day program with limited capacity; we are also re-opening our ORC therapeutic pool for use only by those who live in our community residences. All screening, PPE and physical distancing requirements remain in place. All visiting restrictions – pre-booked indoor visits for essential visitors only, maximum of two, same people each visit, pre-booked outdoor visits for non-essential visitors, designated PPE- remain in place. Supported individuals leaving the property will require 14 day isolation upon return.

It is important to remember that none of our supported individuals and very few of our staff are fully vaccinated (14 days post second vaccine dose); it is for this reason that we must keep these restrictions in place for now. Some people point to the easing of restrictions in Long Term Care and expect us to follow suit, but it is important to recognize that in excess of 80% of long-term care residents and in excess of 70% of long-term care staff have been fully vaccinated. I anticipate that once this is the case in the developmental services sector restrictions will ease in a similar manner.

I appreciate that everyone is anxious for things to return to where they were pre-pandemic; we will get there. But, in the meantime, it is essential for everyone’s safety that we keep in place the level of infection prevention and control practices that have kept us all safe thus far.

Thank you for your patience and understanding and please accept my best wishes.

Yours sincerely

Alastair Lamb M.Sc., MPA

Chief Executive Officer