TAPA continues to closely monitor Toronto Public Health (TPH) who is actively working with our provincial and federal health colleagues along with airports in response to the COVID-19 situation. TPH is also working with the City and health partners to plan for the potential of local spread.
TAPA encourages all of our members to follow hygiene best practices, including:
- installing additional hand sanitation stations if possible
- cleaning surfaces often
- encouraging patrons to hand-wash
- avoid shaking hands - try an "elbow bump" instead
We are also asking TAPA members to continue communicating with your subscribers, season passholders, ticket buyers and stakeholders and advise them of your organizations action plan and activities.
TAPA Member COVID-19 Action Plans
- PANDEMIC PLAN from Roy Thomson Massey Hall
- Action Plan for Upcoming Performance from REAson d'etre dance productions
- Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Plan - Draft, Stratford Festival
The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety has a free Flu and Infectious Disease Outbreaks Business Continuity Plan available on their website for free.
Sample Communications from TAPA Members to Their Audiences
- Message to guests on their website, Soulpepper Theatre Company
- Tapestry Opera
- The Theatre Centre
- Théâtre Français de Toronto
Canada’s COVID-19 Economic Response Plan
| Source | Title | Contents | Resource Links |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canadian Government | Economic Response Plan | - Support to Canadians - Support to Businesses | English |
| Canadian Government | Canada Emergency Response Benefit | Details on the benefit | Link to more information |
Financial Resources
| Source | Title | Contents | Resource Links |
|---|---|---|---|
| The AFC | Get Help | Financial help available to arts workers including adminstrators | The AFC |
| Young Associates | COVID-19 Tipsheets | Financial Tipsheets to help organizations including working remotely, evaluating the impact of COVID-19, accessing the Federal Wage Subsidy and Records of Employment Forms | Young Associates |
| Canadian Relief/Stimulus Measures | COVID-19 Resources | Funding programs and relief measures | Link to the document |
COVID-19 Public Health Updates
| Source | Title | Contents | Resource Links |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toronto Public Health | Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) | - Situation reports, care, Q&A, event & travel info... - French, Chinese, Farsi.. - March 16 statement. | English | Factsheet www.toronto.ca/coronavirus Daily Briefings @ 3:45 here. |
| Health Canada | Factsheets | - Awareness resources, fact sheets: About, For travellers, etc.. | English | French https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/awareness-resources.html |
| Health Canada | Outbreak Updates | - Updates, travel, mass gatherings, advisories, symptoms, risks, prevention... | English | French https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection.html |
| Global Affairs Canada | Travel Advice and Advisories | - General travel risk levels. | English | French https://travel.gc.ca/travelling/advisories |
| Health Canada | COVID-19: Travel Advice | - Public travel risk specifically related to COVID-19. | English | Chinese https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/se rvices/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/latest-travel-health-advice.html |
| Public Health Ontario | COVID-19 Public Resources | - Fact sheets: monitoring, isolation, guide for caregivers... - Available in Chinese - Available in Chinese. | English | French https://www.publichealthontario.ca/disease s-and-conditions/infectious-diseases/respiratory-diseases/novel-coronavirus/public-resources |
| Ontario Ministry of Health | Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) | - Daily updates on COVID-19. - Travel and care info... | English | French https://www.ontario.ca/page/2019-novel-coronavirus |
| World Health Organization | COVID-2019 Situation Reports | - Daily situation reports from a global perspective... | English https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/situation-reports |
Workplace, Community, Stigma and Event Guidance
| Source | Title | Contents | Resources Links |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toronto Public Health | Guidance for Workplaces / Businesses and Employers | - Factsheet for workplaces | English Chinese French Farsi |
| Province of Ontario | Declaration of Emergency to Protect the Public | - Legal order on temp. emergency powers limiting gatherings and closing all venues. | English |
| Toronto Public Health | Guidance for Large Community Events / Mass Gatherings | - Factsheet for events | English https://www.toronto.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/8dbf-2019-Novel-Coronavirus-COVID-19-Guidance-for-Large-Community-Events-Mass-Gatherings.pdf Chinese French Farsi |
| Health Canada | Risk-informed decision-making for mass gatherings | - Risk assessment, mitigation and decision making for events based on WHO directions | English https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/se rvices/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/health-professionals/mass-gatherings-risk-assesment.html |
| Health Canada | For Workplaces | - COVID-19 guidance for employees and employers | English https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/being-prepared.html#a5 |
| Health Canada | Community measures to mitigate the spread... | - How to work together to reduce transmission of COVID-19 in the community | English https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/health-professionals/public-health-measures-mitigate-covid-19.html |
| World Health Organization | Mass Gatherings in the context of the COVID-19 outbreak | - Interim Guidance on event planning. 14 February 2020 | English https://www.who.int/publications-detail/key-planning-recommendations-for-mass-gatherings-in-the-context-of-the-current-covid-19-outbreak |
| World Health Organization | Getting your workplace ready for COVID-19 | - Feb. 27. Version 1.4 | English https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/getting-workplace-ready-for-covid-19.pdf |
| World Health Organization | Social Stigma associated with COVID-19 | - Feb. 24 Edition. A guide to preventing and addressing social stigma | English https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/covid19-stigma-guide.pdf |
Arts Funder Resources & Announcements
| Source | Title | Contents | Resource Links |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada Council for the Arts | FAQ - Impact of COVID-19 on Funded Projects | - FAQ on cancellations, delay and travel warnings for impacted clients. | English French |
| Ontario Arts Council | COVID-19 OAC Activity Updates for March 16, 2020 | - FAQ for clients, government restrictions on events etc. | English French |
| Toronto Arts Council | COVID-19 Updates | - Info for clients, sign up for updates. | English |
| Canadian Heritage | COVID-19 Updates | - Info for grants and contributions recipients | English |
Health/Mental Health Resources
| Organization | Contents | Website | Phone Number | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Distress Centre | Emotional support, Crisis Intervention and Suicide Prevention, Intervention & Postvention | https://www.torontodistresscentre.com | 408-HELP (4357) or 1-833-456-4566 or text 45645 | 24 Hours |
| CareMongering-TO: TO Community Response to COVID19 | Community resource sharing | https://www.facebook.com/groups/TO.Community.Response.COVID19/ | ||
| Harm Reduction Coalition | Harm reduction guidance | https://harmreduction.org/miscellaneous/covid-19-guidance-for-people-who-use-drugs-and-harm-reduction-programs/ | ||
| American Foundation for Suicide Prevention | Taking Care of Your Mental Health in the Face of Uncertainty | https://afsp.org/taking-care-of-your-mental-health-in-the-face-of-uncertainty/ | ||
| Greater Vancouver Professional Theatre Alliance | Webinar Series | www.gvpta.ca |
Thank you to Hamal Doctor and Devon Ostrom for complying the above links
Additional Resources
- Requesting Support in Difficult Times: It’s important to remember that you and your work have value: asking for support in a difficult time is appropriate. Download these templates for some helpful language.
- How to Transition to a Virtual Workplace Overnight
- COVID-19 & Freelance Artists
- Springboard for the Arts: Principles for Ethical Cancellation
- Global Public Affairs
- Webinar that was offered by Event Safety Alliance called Preparing Your Organization for the Coronavirus Disease Outbreak on Youtube
- Coronavirus Arts Ready Alert Sheet from our colleagues in the USA at ArtsReady.org and the National Coalition for Arts’ Preparedness and Response