Update to Re-Opening and Health and Safety Protocols at Invest Ottawa, Bayview Yards and Area X.O

March 3, 2022

With key public health system indicators continuing to improve and the Ontario Government’s changes to public health and workplace safety measures, Bayview Yards and Area X.O, both operated by Invest Ottawa, have re-opened as of Tuesday February 22, 2022, to employees, tenants, and our community. 

The health and safety of our community remains our top priority and we will continue to adhere to the Province’s plan to re-open. As of March 3, 2022, the following conditions are in place: 

• Area X.O and Bayview Yards will no longer require the uploading of proof of vaccinations or the completion of a COVID self-assessment, 

• At this time, masks are mandatory. Masks can only be removed at your desk and when eating or drinking, 
• All approved Area X.O guests must complete a waiver prior to visiting the R&D facility, 
• All Area X.O and Bayview Yards meeting rooms will be open to full capacity, 
• Our Bayview Yards Prototyping Lab and Area X.O will continue to serve clients and deliver essential R&D programs and services safely as approved by the Government of Ontario. These teams will continue to receive and manage client requests as they always have, 
• The hosting of onsite or in-person meetings, workshops, or events, will resume, please check the Invest Ottawa events calendar to register and for event details. 

We will continue to collaborate closely with our health authorities, monitor COVID-19 developments, and communicate any changes and updates to the steps we are taking via our homepage and social media. 

Should you have any questions regarding pandemic health and safety measures, please visit the Ottawa Public Health website or call 1-888-999-6488 (7 days a week from 8am to 8pm). 

Should you have any questions regarding steps taken by Invest Ottawa, Bayview Yards or Area X.O, please contact Sonya Shorey, Vice President, Strategy, Marketing and Communications at [email protected] 

 

Mise à jour : Réouverture à Investir Ottawa, aux cours Bayview et à la Zone X.O, et protocoles en vigueur  

3 mars 2022 

Compte tenu de l’amélioration continue des indicateurs clés de la santé publique et du système de santé et des nouvelles mesures de santé publique et de sécurité au travail du gouvernement ontarien, les cours Bayview et la Zone X.O, toutes deux exploitées par Investir Ottawa, ont rouvert leurs portes aux employés, aux locataires et au public le mardi 22 février 2022. 

Parce que la santé et la sécurité de la collectivité demeurent en tête de nos priorités, nous nous conformons toujours au plan de déconfinement de la Province. En conséquence, les conditions suivantes prennent effet le 3 mars 2022 : 

• La Zone X.O et les cours Bayview ne sont plus tenues de télécharger les preuves de vaccination ou les résultats de tests d’autodépistage. 

• Le port du masque reste obligatoire. On peut l’enlever uniquement pour manger ou boire, ou à son bureau. 
• Tous les invités autorisés de la Zone X.O doivent remplir une Décharge de responsabilité avant de se rendre aux installations de R.-D. 
• Les limites de capacité des salles de réunions de la Zone X.O et des cours Bayview ont été levées. 
• Le labo de prototypage des cours Bayview et la Zone X.O continuent de servir la clientèle et maintiennent leurs programmes et services en R.-D. essentiels, en toute sécurité, conformément à ce qu’autorise le gouvernement de l’Ontario. Les équipes continuent de recevoir et gérer les demandes des clients. 
• Les rencontres, ateliers et événements en personne ou sur place reprendront. Consultez le calendrier des événements d’Investir Ottawa pour vous inscrire ou pour en savoir plus. 

Nous continuerons de collaborer étroitement avec les autorités sanitaires, de suivre la progression de la pandémie et d’indiquer les changements apportés aux mesures que nous prenons sur notre page d’accueil et dans les médias sociaux. 

Pour toute question sur les mesures de santé et sécurité, rendez-vous sur le site Web de Santé publique Ottawa ou appelez au 1-888-999-6488 (tous les jours, entre 8 h et 20 h). 

Pour toute question concernant les mesures prises par Investir Ottawa, les cours Bayview ou la Zone X.O, n’hésitez pas à communiquer avec Sonya Shorey, vice-présidente, Stratégie, marketing et communications à [email protected]. 

 

Update to Re-Opening and Health and Safety Protocols at Invest Ottawa, Bayview Yards and Area X.O

February 16, 2022

With key public health and health system indicators continuing to improve, the Ontario Government, in consultation with the Chief Medical Officer of Health, is cautiously and gradually easing public health measures.  

With Ontario announcing the Province is moving to the next phases of reopening, Bayview Yards and Area X.O, both operated by Invest Ottawa, will re-open on Tuesday February 22, 2022. Assuming there are no new changes to the Province’s plan to re-open, all non-essential workers and guests can return to Bayview Yards and Area X.O starting February 22, 2022. 

The health and safety of our employees, tenants, and community remain our top priority. As such, the following precautions will remain in place: 

• All employees, tenants, and community members are required to be fully vaccinated to enter Bayview Yards and Area X.O.,  
• At this time, masks are mandatory. Masks can only be removed at your desk and when eating or drinking, 
• Completion of the onsite check-in and a COVID screening form via the kiosk at the entrance to Bayview Yards is still required, 
• All approved Area X.O guests must complete an Area X.O Visitor COVID Screening Form and waiver prior to visiting the R&D facility, 

• All employees and tenants of Bayview Yards must upload vaccination records to CanImmunize. Please contact Emily at the [email protected] for instructions and the link to upload, 
• Our Bayview Yards Prototyping Lab and Area X.O will continue to serve clients and deliver essential R&D programs and services safely as approved by the Government of Ontario. These teams will continue to receive and manage client requests as they always have. 
• The hosting of onsite or in-person meetings, workshops, or events, may resume, please check the Invest Ottawa events calendar to register and for event details. 

We will continue to collaborate closely with our health authorities, monitor COVID-19 developments, and communicate any changes and updates to the steps we are taking via our homepage and social media. 

Should you have any questions regarding pandemic health and safety measures, testing or vaccines, please visit the Ottawa Public Health website or call 1-888-999-6488 (7 days a week from 8am to 8pm). 

Should you have any questions regarding steps taken by Invest Ottawa, Bayview Yards or Area X.O, please contact Sonya Shorey, Vice President, Strategy, Marketing and Communications at [email protected] 

Thank you for helping to keep our facilities and community safe. 

—

Update to Health and Safety Protocols at Invest Ottawa, Bayview Yards and Area X.O

January 3, 2022

As we begin this new year, the health and safety of our employees, tenants, and community remain our top priority.

Effective immediately, Bayview Yards and Area X.O must close to non-essential workers, external guests, and the public until further notice.

• We are taking this step in accordance with the updated province-wide protocols announced by Premier Doug Ford and the Government of Ontario on January 3, 2022.

• The province is returning to the modified version of Step Two of the Roadmap to Reopen until January 26, 2022, subject to trends in public health and health system indicators.

• As part of these measures, businesses and organizations are required to ensure employees work remotely, unless the nature of their work requires them to be onsite.

During this period:

• Only employees and tenants approved to perform essential work onsite will be permitted to access our facilities. The doors to all buildings will remain locked.

• We will not host any onsite or in-person meetings, workshops, or events, or have onsite front desk reception services.

• Our employees will continue to work from home and support all clients, and stakeholders safely online; this includes on-going virtual delivery of our programs, services, and events.

• Our Bayview Yards Prototyping Lab and Area X.O will continue to serve clients and deliver essential R&D programs and services safely as approved by the Government of Ontario. These teams will continue to receive and manage client requests as they always have.

• We will continue to collaborate closely with our health authorities, monitor COVID-19 developments, and communicate any changes and updates to the steps we are taking via our homepage and social media.

Should you have any questions regarding:

• Pandemic health and safety measures, testing or vaccines, please visit the Ottawa Public Health (OPH) website or call 1-888-999-6488 (7 days a week from 8am to 8pm).

• Steps taken by Invest Ottawa, Bayview Yards or Area X.O, please contact Sonya Shorey, Vice President, Strategy, Marketing and Communications at [email protected]

Thank you for helping to keep our facility and community safe.

—

Update to Health and Safety Protocols at Invest Ottawa, Bayview Yards and Area X.O

December 22, 2021

As we wind down for the holidays, the health and safety of our employees, clients, tenants, and community remain our top priority.

Given current developments with the pandemic, including the high transmissibility of the Omicron variant, we will be closing our Bayview Yards and Area X.O facilities to external guests (who do not reside onsite with us) beginning Wednesday, December 22, 2021 at 1pm until further notice. Building on our close collaboration with Ottawa Public Health, we are taking this step to help slow the spread of COVID-19 and preserve the health and safety of our community.

Should you have any questions regarding pandemic health and safety measures, testing or vaccines, please visit the Ottawa Public Health website or call 1-888-999-6488 (7 days a week from 8am to 8pm).

Thank you for helping to keep our facility and community safe. On behalf of our team at Invest Ottawa, Bayview Yards and Area X.O, we wish you and your loved ones a safe, healthy and happy holiday season.

We look forward to collaborating with you in the new year.

—

New Health and Safety Protocols, Including Proof of Full Vaccination, at Invest Ottawa, Bayview Yards and Area X.O

September 8, 2021

Since the onset of the pandemic, we have worked closely with health authorities to help keep you and our community healthy and safe.  As we continue to combat the challenges presented by the fourth wave of COVID-19, we are committed to taking all steps required to preserve the health and safety of our employees, licensees, guests, and community. This is our top priority.

With a strong focus on this goal and adherence to all provincial requirements, our leadership team is developing a plan for the safe, staged and carefully managed re-opening of our facilities this fall.  We are working closely with health authorities on the initial steps we aim to take following the launch of the Ontario vaccine certificate and verification app on October 22, 2021 (pending pandemic conditions, recommendations, and guidelines). Our facility will remain closed to the public until this time.

I wanted to share the initial protocols we have established to help keep you and all members of our community healthy and safe when we re-open our doors at Invest Ottawa, Bayview Yards and Area X.O.

Like many organizations, we are collaborating with experts on all facets of these new policies and how best to implement them. We wanted to share what we know today to help prepare you for a healthy and safe return to our facilities when we are ready. These initial protocols include:

• Proof of full (double) vaccination required to enter and use our facilities (effective immediately)
  • Full vaccination is considered complete 14 days after a second dose.
  • Until the Ontario vaccine certificate and verification app is launched on Oct. 22, 2021, only employees, licensees, and tenants will be permitted to access and use our facilities.
  • We will engage these members of our community directly to share additional details about how we will manage this critical health and safety protocol effectively and securely.
  • We look forward to welcoming external guests back to our facilities following the launch and implementation of the Ontario vaccine certificate and verification app.
  • In preparation for this step, we will establish and communicate new safety protocols, contract terms and conditions for future space rental, contracted events, and external meetings at our facilities. Event and meeting organizers will be responsible for ensuring and managing proof of vaccination for all participants and guests using Ontario’s official vaccine certificate and verification app.
• Mandatory completion of the online COVID-19 screening form upon entrance to our facilities
• Social distancing at least two metres from others; we are reconfiguring key parts of our facilities to support this protocol
• The provision of hand sanitizer and handwashing stations throughout our facilities, with rigorous and consistent sanitization of high traffic areas
• A requirement for all individuals to wear masks when moving throughout our facilities until seated with proper social distancing.

We look forward to keeping you apprised of all developments in the days ahead and collaborating with you and all stakeholders on successful implementation.  Should you have any questions along the way, please do not hesitate to reach out to me or any member of our leadership team.

We know these are truly dynamic and unprecedented times. We appreciate your cooperation and support as we chart this critical path and take all steps required to preserve the health and safety of our community.

Sincerely,

Michael Tremblay

President and CEO

Invest Ottawa, Bayview Yards and Area X.O