COVID-19 Resources

Updated January 20, 2022.

To help support Ontario museums and museum workers, the OMA has compiled the following information regarding the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

These resources and information are not to be taken as legal advice or a definitive answer for any particular museum, but rather as a guide for preparedness for the field. We encourage members to consult relevant policies and legislation.

Directory of Resources

• Impact on OMA programs and services
• OMA COVID-19 Webinar Series
• OMA's Advocacy Response to COVID-19
• ONMuseums updates
• COVID-19 Public Health Resources
• Current Ontario Regulations
• Funding and Support Programs
• Remote Work, Mental Health, & Wellbeing
• Human Resources & Business Continuity Planning
• Collections & Facilities Care
• Resources and Responses from Other Associations

Impact on OMA programs and services

As of January 2022, the OMA office remains closed. OMA staff members are working remotely, and will continue to share communications as usual, process memberships, and provide professional development events online.

OMA COVID-19 Webinar Series: From online projects and Twitter, to digital decision-making and collections, watch our webinar recordings here.

OMA’s Advocacy Response to COVID-19: The OMA continues to advocate on behalf of its members. For more information on the OMA’s advocacy initiatives and how you can participate, click here.

ONMuseums Updates: The OMA has been providing updates to members every week in our e-newsletter ONMuseums. You can access the full ONMuseums archive here.

Current Ontario Regulations

• January 20, 2022: Ontario outlines steps to cautiously and gradually ease public health measures
• January 5, 2022: Ontario moved to Modified Step Two of the Roadmap to Reopen.
• January 3, 2022: O. Reg. 263/20: RULES FOR AREAS IN STEP 2
• January 4, 2022: Ontarians are required to use their enhanced vaccine certificate with the official QR code.
  • November 16, 2020: Proof of Vaccination Guidance under the Reopening Ontario (A Flexible Response to COVID-19) Act, 2020
  • November 16, 2020: Questions and Answers about proof of vaccination for business and organizations.
  • Verify Ontario in the Google Play App Store
  • Verify Ontario in the Apple App Store
• Learn about Provincial Antigen Screening Program and find out if your organization is eligible to access free test kits.
• Guide to developing your COVID-19 workplace safety plan
• COVID-19 and workplace health and safety
• COVID-19: changes to meetings and business operations

Funding and Support Programs

Government of Ontario

• Ontario Business Costs Rebate Program (applications open January 2022)
• Ontario COVID-19 Worker Income Protection Benefit (extended to July 31, 2022)

Government of Canada

• Canada’s COVID-19 Economic Response Plan
  • Local Lockdown Program and the Canada Worker Lockdown Benefit
  • Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy (CERS) (deadline for period 11 is January 27, 2022)
  • Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) (deadline for period 18 of CEWS and CRHP is January 27, 2022)
• Museums Assistance Program
  • Canadian Heritage Funding Portal
  • Digital Access to Heritage (deadline March 1, 2022)

Remote Work, Mental Health, & Wellbeing

• Tamarack Guidelines for Working Remotely
• American Alliance of Museums 13 Tips for Working Remotely
• Protecting Your Mental Health - Ottawa Public Health
• Canadian Mental Health Association - COVID-19 and mental health
• Centre for Addiction and Mental Health - Mental Health and the COVID-19 Pandemic
• Supporting Seasonal Staff during COVID-19- Contributing partners include: Association of Nova Scotia Museums, BC Museums Association, Museums Association of Saskatchewan and the Yukon Historical Museums Association.
• 3 Things You Can Do to Build Community in a Time of Coronavirus
• ResilientME - free microlearning course by the Public Services Health and Safety Association

Human Resources and Business Continuity Planning

• OMA Guidance for Museums Reopening After Closure Due to COVID-19 (June 17, 2020)
• Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety - Flu and Infectious Disease Outbreaks Business Continuity Plan
• Public Safety Canada - Emergency Management Planning
• Canadian Conservation Institute/ ICCROM Guide to Risk Management
• Alberta Museums Association - Membership Advisory: Managing Your Museum’s Pandemic Response
• Center for the Future of Museums - Using Scenarios to Plan Your Museum’s COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Response
• Volunteer Canada
  • COVID-19 and Volunteering
  • Keeping Volunteers engaged during COVID-19
• American Alliance of Museums: COVID-19 and Museum Volunteers
• Social Media during COVID-19: A Quick Guide for Canadian Museums - Contributing partners: Association of Nova Scotia Museums, BC Museums Association, Museums Association of Saskatchewan and the Yukon Historical Museums Association.

Vaccines

• Ontario Nonprofit Network, What to Consider When Thinking about Your Vaccination Policy
• Charity Village - Can a non-unionized employer require its employees to vaccinate against covid-19?
• Aird Berlis - Workplace Vaccinations: Legal Considerations and Recommendations for Employers

Collections & Facilities Care

• Canadian Conservation Institute
  • Caring for Heritage Collections During the COVID-19 Pandemic
    • OMA Webinar with CCI's Irene Karsten (recorded April 21, 2020)
  • "Caring for Heritage Collections During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Focus on Reopening" by Canadian Conservation Institute Senior Conservation Scientist Tom Strang
  • COVID-19 and recommendations for heritage institutions
  • CCI Note 1/3 Closing a Museum for the Winter
• Collections Stewardship Professional Network - Steps for Collections Professionals
• US National Center for Preservation Technology and Training- YouTube Channel
• Society of American Archivists: Documenting in Times of Crisis: A Resource Kit

Resources and Responses from Other Associations

• Canadian Museums Association
  • Culture and Heritage Groups Seek Targeted COVID-19 Support - joint letter to the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Heritage.
• Ontario Association of Art Galleries - COVID-19 Crisis Response
• American Alliance of Museums - Resources and Information for the Museum Field
• Association of Science and Technology Centers - Science Centers & COVID-19
• Imagine Canada - COVID-19 and the Canadian Nonprofit Sector
• Federal Government Covid-19 Measures – Implications for Sector Organizations
• MuseumStudy.com online course - Cultural Institution Crisis Response (free registration)
• International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM) - Heritage in Times of COVID
• International Coalition of Site of Conscience- Stronger Together Webinar Series
• National Trust for Canada - Webinar Series
• COVID-19 Resources
• Group of Ontario Emerging Museum Professionals
• Ontario Nonprofit Network - COVID-19 Resources for Nonprofits
• Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety - COVID-19 Health and Safety Resources
• Public Services Health and Safety Association – COVID-19 Resource Centre