The COVID-19 situation is continuing to develop in light of the Delta-variant. As such, the Government of Ontario has implemented COVID Vaccination Passports, which will affect the usage of facilities used for sports and fitness activities and personal training, including gyms. 

The Government of Ontario's website news release states that "Requiring proof of vaccination in these settings reduces risk and is an important step to encourage every last eligible Ontarian to get their shot, which is critical to protecting the province’s hospital capacity, while also supporting businesses with the tools they need to keep customers safe, stay open and minimize disruptions."

We are striving to protect our members and our staff in these uncertain times, which means that starting on September 22nd, 2021, be prepared to show proof of full vaccination to be able to enter the gym. Starting at 12:01 am on the 22nd, those individuals who have not provided proof of vaccination will not be given access.

Given the controversial nature of this mandate to some people, we want to remind everyone that this mandate is the same as the mask mandate - it was created by the government. Our staff, management included, can't and won't make exceptions to this policy, and we ask that members show the same patience, kindness, and respect that we have received thus far.

In order to prevent a bottleneck on September 22, we will be allowing members to bring in their vaccination records during desk hours starting on Monday, September 13th. We will be requiring members to provide us with a photocopy or electronic copy of their vaccination receipts, which we will keep on file. When dropping the proof of full vaccination off at the front desk, we will also be taking your profile picture for our system.

If you are unable to show proof of full vaccination (2 doses + 14 days) by September 22, 2021, your fob will be rendered inactive.

For those that have short-term memberships with an expiration date, your membership will expire. If required, we will give members a maximum of one-month extension on their expiration date if you need extra time to get fully vaccinated.

For those that have a perpetual membership, you have the option to hold your membership at $5/month until you're able to provide full proof of vaccination. 

*Please email us if you require these accommodations with your request because these will not be done automatically.

For members with a medical exemption to the vaccine mandate, we will require a copy of a written exemption letter from a Medical Doctor stating that you are exempt from receiving the COVID-19 Vaccine. We do not allow religious exemptions; letters from spiritual healers, chiropractors, nutritionists/dietitians; or self-claiming exemptions, etc.

Let's keep the Aldershot community safe by following COVID-19 Protocols when not at home.

• Wear a mask when indoors in public
• Don't leave the house if you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms
• Social distance when possible
• Sanitize your hands consistently, with soap and warm water
• Get vaccinated as soon as you can!

When at The Fitness Firm...

• Keep your mask on at all times when on the main floor (yes, even when staff aren't here!)
• Maintain distance when possible
• Put all your equipment, weights, and plates back on the racks when you are finished with them
• Sanitize everything you touch after you use it
• Under no circumstances are you allowed to let individuals/friends into the facility who do not have a gym membership

In the event of any falsified documents being discovered, the individual falsifying documents will be banned from The Fitness Firm until the COVID-19 pandemic is declared over (or longer). This is a criminal act under the Government of Canada's Criminal Code.

Please note that these policies from the government are constantly evolving. This is all the information we have available currently, and these may change between now and the 22nd.

Fitness is an essential component of peoples' lives, and it's moments like these where our purpose and values regarding the health of our members and staff matter a lot to our community and the individuals we serve. Thank you for your patience and respect for our decisions as we navigate this new government-required policy.