Greetings All Tournament Teams!

I hope you are excited about participating in the annual Tri-Cities Ice Classic. We are excited to host you!

I am reaching out as we have been getting inquiries about our tournament status with respect to the coronavirus (COVID-19).

As I write this, we are still hosting our tournament. At this time, I advise all participating teams to review good hygiene practice with players & parents as per HCSP & USA Hockey guidelines. These practices should be no different than what has been practiced all season to prevent spread of cold & flu, such as frequent hand washing, players not sharing water bottles, and so forth.

I’ve attached links of reliable information for your review:

Hockey Canada   https://cdn.hockeycanada.ca/hockey-canada/Hockey-Programs/Safety/Safety-Program/Downloads/coronavirus-e.pdf

BC Hockey   https://www.bchockey.net/NewsItem.aspx?id=3229

Public Health Agency of Canada   https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection.html

Fraser Health Authority   https://www.fraserhealth.ca/health-topics-a-to-z/coronavirus/coronavirus-questions-general-public#.XmlrPZNKii4

City of Coquitlamhttps://www.coquitlam.ca/public-safety/public-health-information/updates-on-coronavirus-covid-19

As you can see, the risk to our region is low. To quote from Health Canada:

“At this time, PHAC has assessed the public health risk associated with COVID-19 as low for the general population in Canada but this could change rapidly. There is an increased risk of more severe outcomes for Canadians:

aged 65 and over
with compromised immune systems
with underlying medical conditions”
Poirier Sports & Leisure Centre staff will do their best to ensure a clean environment for participants, but the onus will be on players & parents to practice good hygiene.

We will not cancel our tournament unless advised so by Fraser Health Authority and/or BC Hockey. Thus, if any teams withdraw without permission or advice from their governing hockey body, they will not get a refund on tournament fees.

We are committed to ensuring the weekend is fun and safe for all participants & players. Please contact me if you have any questions, and best of luck during the tournament.

Darren Ferris
TCFIHA 1st VP & Tournament Director
6048394473