COVID-19
Updates
March 17, 2022
Ontario Production Sector and COVID-19 Restrictions
We understand there may be questions regarding the Province of Ontario’s recent loosening and upcoming removal of certain COVID-19 restrictions and their application to our industry; particularly in the areas of proof of vaccination and masking.
As discussed at the General Meeting on March 6, 2022, NABET 700-M UNIFOR does not see a change in the direction of COVID-19 risk mitigation practices that the industry has successfully employed for almost the last two years. While the Province may be easing restrictions in certain areas, there is nothing that prohibits an employer or business from maintaining measures they believe will best ensure the safety of their employees. In addition to an employer’s obligation to take necessary steps to protect the safety of its employees; specific to our sector, broadcasters, funders, and insurers, including Telefilm and the Short Term Compensation Fund which many of our productions subscribe to, are requiring that Producers take reasonable steps to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 on their production to not jeopardize their collective investment in the production.
To clarify, production protocols, working off the Section 21 Committee COVID-19 Guidance, will still be in place. While this pandemic continues to evolve rapidly, NABET 700-M UNIFOR does not foresee productions rolling back any of those provisions at this time. This includes, but is not limited to, COVID-19 testing, the requirement that all cast and crew be vaccinated against COVID-19, the requirement to properly wear masks and other PPE, and distancing in the workplace. Furthermore, in regards to vaccination status, we are seeing more and more productions that are considering “fully vaccinated” as having two doses plus the Health Canada recommended booster. This is something already being implemented on many of the service productions in the Province and productions of ours are beginning to implement the same, especially those with US cast or crew working on them.
It remains the recommendation of the Local that being as vaccinated as possible, coupled with the proper use of PPE, is the best protection against not only the spread of COVID-19 but also reducing the seriousness of the illness should one contract COVID-19.
July 12, 2021
STEP 3 - Reopening in Ontario
This past Friday, the Province of Ontario has announced that due to the declining positive cases of COVID-19 and increased vaccination rates, the Province will enter Stage 3 of the re-opening plan on Friday July 16, 2021
The full copy of the regulation on what is being permitted across the Province can be found here https://www.ontario.ca/laws/regulation/r21520
Under this stage, the requirements for film and television production remain in effect.
Film and television production
20. (1) Commercial film and television production, including all supporting activities such as hair, makeup and wardrobe, may open if they comply with the following conditions:
1. Persons who provide hair or makeup services must wear appropriate personal protective equipment.
2. The number of members of the public permitted to be in the studio audience at any one time must not exceed 50 per cent of the usual seating capacity or 1,000 persons - whichever is less.
3. The person responsible for the film or television production must post a sign in a conspicuous location visible to the public that states the studio audience capacity limits under which the production is permitted to operate.
4. If there is a studio audience, the person responsible for the film or television production must prepare a safety plan in accordance with section 3.3 of Schedule 1.
5. The person responsible for the film or television production must ensure that the production operates in accordance with the guidance document titled "Film and television industry health and safety during COVID-19" issued by the Film and Television Health and Safety Advisory Committee of the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development, as amended from time to time.
(2) For greater certainty, for the purpose of this section, the film or television set may be located in any business or place, including any business or place that is otherwise required to be closed under this Order.
Some members will be affected by increased numbers of the public being permitted in place such as store and malls.
At this time, we would like to remind everyone that, while restrictions and capacity limits may be easing outside of the workplace, there is no indication that any of the COVID-19 mitigation practices and measures in place on film and television productions will be eased at this time. Your continued vigilance around the 3 pillars of safety during this pandemic; distancing, masking and sanitizing remain imperative as we continue to ensure that our sets remain safe and COVID-19 free. This also holds true for those who are either partially or fully vaccinated. There should be no exception regarding compliance with COVID-19 protocols on productions.
For more information on booking vaccination appointments, please go to https://covid-19.ontario.ca/book-vaccine/
It has been your continued dedication to safety and compliance with production protocols that has allowed our sector to continue to operate in this Province since July 2020. Our level of safety in regards to COVID-19 mitigation has been referred to as the "gold standard" by the Province of Ontario. We appreciate your commitment to keeping yourself, your fellow cast/crew members and your families safe.
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June 25, 2021
STEP 2 - Reopening in Ontario
With case numbers dropping and vaccination rates rising, the Government of Ontario has announced that the province will be entering Stage 2 of the most recent reopening plan as of 12:01am on Wednesday June 30, 2021
The significant change for film and television:
The 50-performer limit on set, will be removed; other restrictions - including no studio audiences, appropriate physical distancing and adherence to Section 21 guidelines - remain in place.
The complete regulation pertaining to Step 2 can be found here: https://www.ontario.ca/laws/regulations/200263
Please note that the Region of Waterloo has indicated that they will delay their entry into Step 2 until mid-July. Some productions shooting in that Region until that time may be affected by this delay in regard to the performer cap.
Thank you to all production staff for your continued commitment to safety, ensuring protocols and procedures are being followed in our sector, which has allowed us to continue operating during these difficult times.
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June 15, 2021
Accelerated Vaccine FAQ
The province of Ontario has announced an accelerated second dose strategy for the City of Toronto and surrounding regions as of Monday, June 14, 2021
We would like to share with you the accelerated 2nd dose FAQ sheet created by Vaccine hunters Canada HERE
Please note that the COVID-19 vaccine is not a mandatory requirement to secure work on NABET 700-M UNIFOR signatory productions.
If you have any questions regarding COVID-19 safety protocols and guidelines, please contact the office.
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April 17, 2021
Provincial Shutdown Update
As you will have heard by now the Provincial government has extended the emergency stay-at-home order in Ontario by an additional 2 weeks. The government’s press release can be found here https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/61192/ontario-strengthens-enforcement-of-stay-at-home-order.
Government officials have confirmed that there are no changes for the film and television industry, meaning that production is permitted to continue with a 50-performer limit on set and adherence to all other health and safety measures, including those outlined in the Section 21 Guidelines.
Travel is also being restricted between Ontario and Manitoba and Quebec, although travel for work purposes will be allowed. We are waiting for confirmation from the government on what, if any, documentation will be required for people to establish that they are travelling for permitted purposes.
The government is also enhancing enforcement measures relating to the stay-at-home order meaning, in principle, people can be stopped and asked where they are going and why. Since January, NABET 700-M UNIFOR has been asking productions to issue letters stating that you are a Technician working on a film/television production as permitted under Ontario Regulation 82/20, Schedule 2, sections 63 and 64 and therefore permitted to be out for work purposes. Our bargaining partner, the CMPA has also confirmed that they issued a template letter to its Producer Members for this purpose as well which they can print on their letterhead and sign.
As mentioned in earlier correspondence, the Province has indicated that the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development (MLTSD) will be conducting workplace inspections to ensure protocols and policies are in place and are being adhered to in those workplaces where work is able to continue.
We would also like to remind Technicians that compliance with production’s COVID-19 policies and protocols is imperative on a day-to-day basis. Failure to abide by the protocols and the direction of production and/or COVID teams on the production could lead to a reprimand or other discipline by the employer. For your safety, as well as that of the cast and crew around you, it is necessary to stay vigilant in the use of PPE, sanitization and distancing at all times.
If you have any questions, please contact President, Peggy Kyriakidou, or Business Agent, Jayson Mosek, at the NABET 700-M UNIFOR office.
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April 1, 2021
Provincial Shutdown: 50 Performer Cap
As you are now likely aware, today the Province today announced measures taken to try and curb the spread of COVID-19 in Ontario.
Effective 12:01 a.m. Saturday April 3, 2021, the Province will enter an emergency brake shutdown for a period of 4 weeks. Please note that film and television activities are permitted to continue in the Province during this period. Having said that, the Province will be reverting back to a cap of 50 performers on set until such time as the applicable region returns to a colour coded re-opening stage.
More information pertaining to the shutdown can be found here. https://www.ontario.ca/page/enhancing-public-health-and-workplace-safety-measures-provincewide-shutdown.
We would like to take the opportunity to remind everyone to be vigilant with PPE use, sanitization, distancing and compliance with production's COVID policies and procedures as well as these newly announced measures.
If you have any questions, please contact President, Peggy Kyriakidou, or Business Agent, Jayson Mosek, at the NABET 700-M UNIFOR office.
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April 1, 2021
Provincial Emergency Brake: NABET Office Update
Due to the recently announced province-wide emergency brake, the NABET office will be modifying some aspects of our operations to align with the new restrictions that take into effect on Saturday, April 3, 2021 at 12:01am.
Please see below the following office updates.
CREWING DEPARTMENT:
There will be no changes to the crewing hours.
Monday – Friday, 7am – 11pm
Saturday, 10am – 10pm
Sunday, 11am – 11pm
ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT:
Reception will be available to receive calls and payments on Tuesdays & Thursdays only, 9am-5pm. The main line will be set to auto-attendant on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. If leaving a message in our general voicemail inbox, please expect a delay in response time.
Due to the requirement for our administrative staff to work remotely as often as possible, please note that phone communication will be limited and you may experience longer than normal response times for emails. If you have an inquiry or require assistance, please email the office.
GENERAL OPERATIONS:
The office will not be accepting visitors until further notice.
For Member and Production related matters, please contact your President, Peggy Kyriakidou, your Business Agent, Jayson Mosek or your Membership Steward, Jackson Nguyen at the NABET 700-M UNIFOR office.
Thank you for your understanding and patience during this time and if there are any amendments to the above you will be notified promptly via email.
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February 12, 2021
As you are undoubtedly aware, Ontario has begun to move certain regions in the Province out of shutdown and into the previously implemented colour coded system under the Reopening Ontario Framework. The current government plan has regions like Hamilton, Durham and others moving out of shutdown and into the colour coded system effective Tuesday February 16, 2021 with Toronto, Peel and York moving out of shutdown and into the colour coded system effective Monday February 22, 2021._____________________________________________________________________________________
January 14, 2021
Provincial Shut Down: NABET Office Update
Due to the recently announced provincial shutdown, the NABET office will be modifying some aspects of our operations to align with the new restrictions that take into effect Thursday, January 14, 2021 until Thursday, February 11, 2021. Please see below the following office updates.Thank you for your understanding and patience during this time and if there are any amendments to the above you will be notified promptly via email.
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November 20, 2020
As you will have heard by now, Premier Doug Ford announced additional "lockdown" measures for Toronto and Peel which come info affect at 12:01am Monday November 23, 2020 in an effort to control the spread of COVID-19: https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/59305/ontario-taking-further-action-to-stop-the-spread-of-covid-19.
Please note that film and television work in these areas is NOT impacted by these new measures. Film and television work remains able to continue with current restrictions in control in place.
Under the new measures there are certain restrictions which some departments should be aware of such as only allowing for curbside pickup at retail establishments.
More information on what is closed or restricted under the Grey "Lockdown" measures can be found here: https://www.ontario.ca/page/covid-19-response-framework-keeping-ontario-safe-and-open#grey
Attached below please also find similar correspondence from the Toronto Film, Television and Digital Media Office regarding the same.
We would like to take the opportunity to remind everyone to be vigilant with PPE use, sanitization, distancing and compliance with production's COVID policies and procedures.
If you have any questions please contact Business Agent, Jayson Mosek at the NABET 700-M UNIFOR office.
xoTO Film Correspondence (PDF, 68 KB)
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September 25, 2020
As you may be aware, the Canadian Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) is set to end this weekend that gave to nearly nine million Canadians during the COVID-19 crisis, at a cost of $78 billion. Thankfully the Federal Government is stepping up and has announced the introduction of Bill C-2, An Act relating to economic recovery in response to COVID-19, to create three new temporary Recovery Benefits for Canadians who are unable to work for reasons related to COVID-19.
The government's Bill C-2 seeks to provide:
- A Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB) of $500 per week for up to 26 weeks, to workers who are self-employed or are not eligible for EI and who still require income support. This Benefit would support Canadians who have not returned to work due to COVID-19 or whose income has dropped by at least 50%. These workers must be available and looking for work, and must accept work where it is reasonable to do so;
- A Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit (CRSB) of $500 for up to two weeks, for workers who are sick or must self-isolate for reasons related to COVID-19. This Benefit supports our commitment to ensure all Canadian workers have access to paid sick leave; and,
- A Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit (CRCB) of $500 per week for up to 26 weeks per household, for eligible Canadians unable to work because they must care for a child under the age of 12 or family member because schools, day-cares or care facilities are closed due to COVID-19 or because the child or family member is sick and/or required to quarantine.
More detailed eligibility criteria can be found online HERE.
Canadians will be able to apply for the CRB, CRSB, and CRCB through the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) for up to one year within the period beginning on September 27th, 2020 and ending on September 25, 2021.
If you have any further inquires, please don't hesitate to contact the office at: info@nabet700.com.
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July 25, 2020
As many productions are starting up and work begins to resume, Productions are taking every necessary precaution to implement safety protocols and guidelines to ensure your safety on set. While NABET 700-M UNIFOR is making sure signatory productions are doing their part, all productions rely heavily on the participation of every single crew Member. The Union would like to remind all Technicians the importance of the role they play in monitoring their own health, in order to keep everyone safe and to minimize the possibility of COVID-19 transmission risk in the workplace.If you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, you should immediately notify your on-set COVID supervisor as well as inform your department head, and refrain from coming in to work.
In the event a Technician, as a result of exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19, is advised by production to not come to work or is sent home during the workday and is asked to get a COVID-19 test done, or is required to quarantine due to a positive diagnosis or possible contact with someone who has tested positive, the Technician is to immediately contact the Union to disclose such.
In order to ensure privacy and confidentiality, Technicians should contact the President, Peggy Kyriakidou, directly, either at the office - 416.536.4827 ext 228 or by cell phone at - 416.953.5215. She will be the only person at NABET 700-M UNIFOR privy to the Technician’s disclosure of their circumstances.
Peggy will then make sure the system is updated so the crewing department is aware that they are not to contact the applicable Technician for possible work opportunities that may arise as they are unavailable.
Once the Technician contacts Peggy Kyriakidou again to confirm either that the test performed yielded a negative result or the quarantine period has elapsed and a negative test result has been confirmed, thereby allowing the Technician to return to work, the system will then be updated so the crewing department may resume any necessary or required contact with the Technician in regards to work opportunities.
In this email, we also wanted to outline a few resources that are available to you should you contract COVID-19 after returning to work.
WSIB
If you contract COVID-19 at work on a production, please notify your Department Head and/or Supervisor and begin a WSIB claim. If you are unsure whether to report COVID-19 claims because of the uncertainty of where you were when you contracted the virus, please note that it is the WSIB’s responsibility to determine the work-relatedness of claims and possible work-related claims should always be reported.
For information about when and how to report a claim or if you are unsure about whether to report a claim, please visit the WSIB FAQs page to find answers to common questions about COVID-19 claims and coverage.
AFC – The Lifeline for Canada’s Entertainment Industry
The AFC provides financial and other compassionate support to those who work in the Canadian entertainment industry when an unforeseen emergency, such as this pandemic, causes urgent financial need. The AFC can provide short-term emergency financial assistance for essential household bills and costs that cannot otherwise be paid.
The AFC has received more than 860 applications for emergency financial aid and has provided over $925,000 to help entertainment professionals and their families survive the crisis.
If you need financial, or other avenues of support, please contact the AFC. They will connect with you to find out more about your situation and advise on how they can best assist you.
For information on how to apply, please visit the COVID-19 Guide to Emergency Financial Assistance.
Right now, the AFC is focusing on making sure that people stay stable and basic needs such as rent or mortgage payments, food, utilities, phone bill, car payments, car and home insurance, or medical expenses, are met for the next 2-3 weeks.
Please note that the AFC has temporarily suspended work on their Personal Support and Advocacy Program, their Financial Wellness Program and planning for their forthcoming mental health initiatives. For the time being, they will be 100% focused on delivering urgent financial aid to as many members of our community as possible.
If you have any questions about these various resources available to you, please do not hesitate to contact the office.
Thank you.
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July 3, 2020
We are happy to announce that the office has reopened as of Tuesday, July 7, 2020, with some changes to our business hours and operations as part of our re-opening process.
We have been working hard since our closure to ensure we follow recommendations from the City and Province and will be implementing the following to ensure a safe and healthy environment for our office staff and Membership. We ask you to please familiarize yourself with these new protocols and details.
OFFICE & STAFF HOURS
To help mitigate office traffic and accommodate for COVID-19 screening of staff, the Union will be staggering start times for a number of staff members. The general office hours of 9:00am - 5:00pm will remain.
We would like to ask that the Membership be patient with us as there may be slight delays at the start of the day due to the new screening protocols.
Crewing Department:
Saturday: 10:00am - 10:00pm
Sunday: 11:00am - 11:00pm
Monday - Friday: 7:00am - 11:00pm
Membership Services:
Your Membership Services Coordinator, Nicole Matthews, will now be working between the hours of 9:30am - to 5:30pm. As a reminder, her extension is 224 should you need to reach her after 5:00pm.
VISITORS
Please note that for the month of July, the Union will not be allowing any visitors or drop ins.
Should you need to make a payment via debit or cash within the month of July, you will be required to call or email to make an appointment with Reception at least one day in advance. Please call the main office line, or email reception@nabet700.com.
Please be aware that the following will be applied and implemented for the health and safety of the office staff and all visitors until further notice:
- Anyone needing to come into the office will be required to call or email to make an appointment with Reception at least one day in advance.
- The capacity for visitors will be reduced to a maximum of 2 people at a time to allow for safe social distancing requirements. If there are more than 2 people waiting in the reception area, visitors must wait outside of the office.
- All staff and visitors will be required to complete a health screening upon arrival and prior to entry, which will include a questionnaire and a no-contact temperature check. The screening will take place in suite 301. If you are exhibiting a temperature above 37.8C you will not be permitted to enter and will have to re-schedule your appointment at least 14 days out.
- To be served, you will be required to wear a mask while in the office, if you do not have one, one will be provided upon entry.
- Hand sanitizer will be available upon entry which visitors will be required to use as soon as they enter the office.
- Gloves will be provided upon entry and are optional.
- Staff will regularly sanitize all surfaces and touchpoints throughout the office.
- We will be moving towards contactless payment options to minimize the need to come to the office. Further information will be provided at a later date.
- Friends, family and pets (excluding service animals) will not be permitted to accompany you to your appointment.
If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to the office.
We thank you for your patience and support during this time.
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June 18, 2020
Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) Extended
The Government of Canada has announced that they are extending the Canada Emergency Response Benefit an additional 8 weeks. The changes to the CERB will continue to pay out $500 a week, but now for up to 24 weeks instead of 16, for eligible workers who:
- have stopped working due to COVID-19 or;
- are eligible for Employment Insurance regular or sickness benefits or have exhausted their Employment Insurance regular benefits or;
- Employment Insurance fishing benefits between December 29, 2019 and October 3, 2020.
Going forward, applicants of the CERB must sign attestation acknowledging that they are actively looking for work and will take a job offer when their circumstances permit it, similar to requirements for employment insurance benefits.
For more information regarding the CERB, including eligibility requirements and how to apply, please visit the Canada.ca website.
To learn what other financial, mental health and other supports are available during COVID-19 through the Federal and Provincial Governments, please visit Ontario.ca.
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