Ottawa Senators confirm proof of vaccination no longer required after March 1

Fans sit spread out in the Canadian Tire Centre as the Ottawa Senators take on the Edmonton Oilers during third period NHL hockey action in Ottawa, on Monday, Jan. 31, 2022. The Senators announced a sell out game of 500 attendees, the maximum number of people permitted for sporting games as of Jan. 31. (Justin Tang/THE CANADIAN PRESS)

The Ottawa Senators say proof of vaccination requirements will be dropped at the Canadian Tire Centre as of Tuesday when the provincial regulation ends.

In a media release Monday, the Senators organization said the Canadian Tire Centre would no longer require patrons to provide their respective proof of vaccination status beginning March 1.

“We’ve closely monitored provincial health updates in addition to various league and venue approaches to what is a challenging next step in this process,” said Senators president of business operations Anthony LeBlanc. “We’re confident that this is the right decision at the present time for our facility.”

The mandate will be maintained for all full-time and part-time employees until further notice while Canadian Tire Centre will also liaise with the venue’s upcoming entertainment and concert promoters to determine respective regulations pertaining to patronage. Entertainment event requirements will be communicated by way of the venue’s social platforms and by contacting the facility.

Mask requirements remain in place. Patrons are required to wear a mask except when eating or drinking.

The team's next home game is scheduled for March 10 against the Seattle Kraken.

CITY FACILITIES TO DROP PASSPORTS, BUT RENTERS MAY STILL USE THEM

The City of Ottawa confirms it will no longer require proof of vaccination from patrons of its recreational and cultural facilities, but users who rent the spaces will be permitted to continue to enforce the rule.

Proof of vaccination requirements end in Ontario on Tuesday. The city says that when the provincial requirement ends, staff will no longer be checking vaccination status for facility users. Mask rules remain in place.

However, the city notes that anyone renting a facility has the option to enforce their own proof of vaccination requirements.

"Organizations who rent our facilities have the option to maintain this measure. Please check directly with the organizations – which include community and sports associations as well as organizing bodies," the city said in a PSA on Monday.

Capacity limits are also being lifted Tuesday. The city notes that a return to full capacity is dependent on staffing resources at each site.