Ongoing Response to COVID-19

Dec 20, 2020 | News

February 14, 2022

COVID-19 Health and Safety Protocols 

This update is to share news regarding Ontario moving to eased restrictions effective Feb 17 2022 and further on March 1, 2022. Guests can refer to the regulations associated with this news on the Ontario Government’s COVID-19 public health measures and advice  webpage.

Beginning Thursday, February 17th, the following public health and workplace safety measures are currently in effect.

  • Meeting and Event spaces are open at full capacity
  • Short Term Rentals are permitted (bookings of cabins, houses, camping, etc.)
  • Public Supervised Gatherings are permitted
  • Indoor Dining is permitted at full capacity
  • Hikes and site access for recreation including fishing is allowed
  • Volunteers are permitted to be onsite

Five Oaks is dedicated to providing a safe and healthy space for your retreat or event.

For questions, please contact hospitality@fiveoaks.on.ca

January 20, 2022

COVID-19 Health and Safety Protocols 

As per Ontario’s COVID-19 public health measures and advice, which posts the latest public health measures, advice and restrictions, Five Oaks is dedicated to providing a safe and healthy space for your retreat or event. 

Beginning January 31st, 2022, the following public health and workplace safety measures are currently in effect.

  • Capacity limits will be posted in all spaces
  • Short Term Rentals are permitted (Bookings of cabins, houses, camping, etc.)
  • Indoor Gatherings will be limited to 50% reduced capacity and maintaining 2m social distancing
  • Indoor and Outdoor dining will be at 50% reduced capacity
  • Hikes and site access for recreation allowed, including fishing
  • Volunteers are permitted to be on site
  • Indoor Retail is open with capacity limited to 2m social distancing and reduced capacity to 50% – including the Grand River Bookstore.

Still in place, the following protocols are being taken at Five Oaks to support guest Health and Safety:

  1. As of September 22, 2021 all guests that are using indoor meeting spaces or guests that are part of a group booking will be required to show proof of vaccination and a valid piece of ID upon arrival at Five Oaks. Outdoor bookings or individual personal retreats do not need to provide proof of vaccination, as long as no indoor meeting spaces are being used.
  2. All staff and guests are required to partake in mandatory screening, including a temperature check, when checking in to our facilities.
  3. Social-distancing of two metres is required at all times, indoor and outdoor.
  4. Masks/Face coverings are required at all times when inside and are required outside when social-distancing is not possible.
  5. We are regularly sanitizing high touch areas in our facility, and have increased the frequency of our usual cleaning protocols.
  6. All guests attending your retreat or event must provide basic contact information to use for contract-tracing.

For questions, please contact hospitality@fiveoaks.on.ca

January 2, 2022

COVID-19 Health and Safety Protocols 

To blunt the transmission of the Omicron variant and prevent Ontario hospitals from becoming overwhelmed, the province is temporarily moving into Step Two of the Roadmap to Reopen with modifications on January 5th, 2022.

The following public health and workplace safety changes regarding gatherings that apply at Five Oaks will be in effect:

Social gatherings:

  • indoor gatherings limited to five people or fewer
  • outdoor gatherings limited to 10 people or fewer

Organized public events:

  • indoor events limited to five people or fewer
  • outdoor events are limited to the number of people who can maintain two metres distance

Weddings, funerals, religious services, rites and ceremonies:

  • indoor services are limited to 50 per cent the capacity of the room
  • outdoor services are limited to the number of people who can maintain two metres distance

All gatherings must adhere to mask wearing and social distancing.

For questions, please contact hospitality@fiveoaks.on.ca

September 22, 2021

COVID-19 Health and Safety Protocols 

As per Ontario’s Provincial guidelines, Five Oaks is dedicated to providing a safe and healthy space for your retreat or event. The following protocols are in place to support this:

  1. As of September 22, 2021 all guests that are using indoor meeting spaces or guests that are part of a group booking will be required to show proof of vaccination and a valid piece of ID upon arrival at Five Oaks. Outdoor bookings or individual personal retreats do not need to provide proof of vaccination, as long as no indoor meeting spaces are being used.
  2. All staff and guests are required to partake in mandatory screening, including a temperature check, when checking in to our facilities.
  3. Social-distancing of two metres is required at all times, indoor and outdoor.
  4. Masks/Face coverings are required at all times when inside and are required outside when social-distancing is not possible.
  5. We are currently operating at a 50% capacity for indoor spaces as long as 2m distancing can be maintained, such as meeting spaces and dining areas, and all bedrooms are to be treated as single occupancy unless the beds are more than six feet apart.
  6. We are regularly sanitizing high touch areas in our facility, and have increased the frequency of our usual cleaning protocols.
  7. All guests attending your retreat or event must provide basic contact information to use for contract-tracing.

For questions, please contact hospitality@fiveoaks.on.ca

June 30, 2021

The Ontario Government is moving our province into Step 2 of the Roadmap to Reopen on June 30, 2021 at 12:01 a.m. based on the provincewide vaccination rate and continuing improvements in key public health and health system indicators.

As of June 30th, the following activities are permitted at Five Oaks:

  • Indoor Retail at 25% capacity – including the Grand River Bookstore
  • Short Term Rentals (Bookings of Cabins, houses, camping, etc.)
  • Outdoor Gatherings of 25 people
  • Indoor Gatherings of up to 5 people with restrictions
  • Outdoor dining of 6 per table
  • Hikes and site access for recreation including fishing
  • Outdoor pools with 2m social distancing
  • Offer curbside pick up of food or goods
  • Maintenance of Property
  • Acorn Adventure Day Camp, Day Camps, Overnight Camp
  • Volunteers are permitted to be on site

Details on the current public health measures and restrictions can be found here: https://covid-19.ontario.ca/public-health-measures

For questions, please contact hospitality@fiveoaks.on.ca

June 11, 2021

The Ontario Government has begun to lift the lockdown restrictions from the past months in a three-tiered reopening plan called the Roadmap to Reopen. Step 1 of this plan has begun, effective June 11, 2021.

As of June 11th, the following activities are now permitted at Five Oaks:

  • Indoor Retail at 25% capacity – including the Grand River Bookstore
  • Short Term Rentals (bookings of cabins, houses, camping, etc.)
  • Outdoor Gatherings of 10 people
  • Outdoor dining of 4 people per table
  • Hikes and site access for recreation, including fishing
  • Outdoor Pool with 2m social distancing
  • Curbside pick up of food or goods
  • Maintenance of the property
  • Acorn Adventure Day Camp
  • Volunteers are permitted to be on site

There are No Indoor Gatherings permitted at this time.

According to this plan, the following activities may continue while acknowledging that a gradual reopening will take place over the coming months. An estimate for moving into Step 2 is July 2, 2021.

Details on the current public health measures and restrictions can be found here: https://covid-19.ontario.ca/public-health-measures

For questions, please contact hospitality@fiveoaks.on.ca.

April 17, 2021

The Ontario Government has issued a number of iterations of lockdown measures over the past few weeks. We are currently in a Declaration of Emergency and Provincewide Stay-At-Home order. As of April 17, 2021, the following are in effect for Five Oaks:

  • Short Term Rentals (bookings of cabins, houses, etc.) only to those in need of housing
  • No Outdoor Gatherings
  • No Indoor Gatherings
  • Offer Curbside Pickup of food or goods
  • Maintenance of Property
  • Essential Office Functions

Due to the current restrictions and our ongoing work as an isolation centre, we are limiting site access. For site access please call the Hospitality Office at 519-442-3212.

The Office Hours during this period are as follows:
Monday to Thursday: 10:00am-3:00pm
Friday: closed

Details on the current public health measures and restrictions can be found here: https://covid-19.ontario.ca/zones-and-restrictions

For questions, please contact hospitality@fiveoaks.on.ca.

February 12, 2021

On Tuesday, February 16, 2021 the Ontario Government is set to transition from the shutdown measures that were put in place on December 26, 2020. Brant County, where Five Oaks is situated, will reopen in the Orange – Restrict Zone.

Details on what the restrictions are can be found in the revised and strengthened COVID-19 Response
Framework: Keeping Ontario Safe and Open (the “Framework”)

For questions, please contact hospitality@fiveoaks.on.ca.

December 22, 2020

As announced on Monday December 21, 2020 by Premier Doug Ford, Ontario is going into a Provincewide Lockdown on December 26th, 2020 for a period of 28 days.

Five Oaks follows all provincial guidelines as per the announced Lockdown. A summary of the lockdown can be found here: https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/20433181/provincewide-shutdown-deck-december-21-2020-final.pdf

Related to Five Oaks, please find the following changes for our guests:

  • The office will be staffed Monday-Friday, 9am-3pm with a limited number of staff.
  • Single household or personal retreats can be booked.
  • Site access can accommodate outdoor gatherings of up to 10 people for the purpose of reducing social isolation and exercise. Examples include trail hikes, labyrinth walks, fishing, sitting by the river, etc.
  • There will be limited access to washroom facilities.
  • The site access fee will increase to $10 to cover increased cleaning measures.
  • Curbside-pickup catered meals can continue.

For questions, please contact hospitality@fiveoaks.on.ca.

December 20, 2020

As announced by the Province of Ontario, on Monday December 21st, the County of Brant will move into the public health measure level of Red / “Control” (Stringent Measures). 

For guests and staff of Five Oaks, this means the following Safety protocols are in place:

  • Staff are required to wear masks while indoors unless eating or drinking
  • 10-person indoor capacity limit
  • Take out/drive through permitted
  • 25 people outdoor limit
  • Face coverings required unless eating or drinking
  • 4 people per table
  • Require all contact information for guests and screening required
  • No buffet
  • 2m distancing between tables
  • 2m distancing maintained by guests
  • While eating or attending meeting guests must remain seated
  • No lineups unless 2m distancing can be maintained

Five Oaks will encourage guests to reconsider their participation in Five Oaks events if coming from another Red / “Control” or Lockdown Zone.

For questions, please contact hospitality@fiveoaks.on.ca.

November 23, 2020

The Province of Ontario has set up a COVID-19 Response Framework to keep Ontario safe. This allows for region-specific health measures and sector-specific public health and workplaces safety measures. Five Oaks is situated in the County of Brant, which is currently in the public health measure level of Orange / “Restrict” (Intermediate Measures).

For guests and staff of Five Oaks, this means the following Safety protocols are in place:

  • Staff are required to wear masks while indoors unless eating or drinking
  • Limit of 4 people at a table
  • Require all contact information for guests
  • Screening of all guests required (questionnaire, etc.)
  • Must be closed and completed any service by 10pm
  • No consumption of liquor between 10 pm and 9 am
  • No buffet style service
  • Face covering required unless eating or drinking
  • 2m between tables
  • 2m distancing must be maintained by guests
  • While eating or attending a meeting guests must remain seated

Five Oaks will encourage guests to reconsider their participation in Five Oaks events if coming from a Red / “Control” Zone.

For questions, please contact hospitality@fiveoaks.on.ca.

July 20, 2020

On Friday July 17, 2020 the County of Brant was able to move into Stage 3 of the Province of Ontario’s COVID-19 re-opening plan. Furthermore, the County of Brant Council passed the Face Covering By-law, requiring people to wear a face covering when accessing enclosed public spaces, effective July 20, 2020.

What does this mean for Five Oaks? In addition to the framework set in Stage 2, we now also:

  • Can host indoor gatherings of a maximum of 50 people and outdoor gatherings of a maximum of 100 people, as long as physical distancing can be maintained.
  • Require guests staying at Five Oaks must wear a mask when inside public areas. This includes meeting spaces, hallways and washrooms. This does not include their personal bedrooms.

For questions, please contact hospitality@fiveoaks.on.ca.

June 12, 2020

Last week it was announced that the County of Brant is permitted to enter Stage 2 of the Province of Ontario’s COVID-19 re-opening plan, effective June 12, 2020. Five Oaks remains consistent with the Province’s framework during each step of re-opening. For Five Oaks, this means:

  • We are open and still hosting arriving migrant agricultural workers for their quarantine period.
  • We will be holding day-camp for children ages 6-12 this summer.
  • Our Hospitality Team is now able to book guests for personal or small family retreats in our retreat houses.
  • Our Program Team is working on online content for our community, in lieu of large in-person gatherings.
  • We are still working with limited staff, and due to COVID-19 we have had to permanently lay off some of our staff.
  • Staff continue to practice social distancing while at work and sanitize spaces regularly.
  • We still need and greatly appreciate the support of our Five Oaks Community. From volunteering to donations to sharing our updates on social media, we thank you!

For questions, please contact hospitality@fiveoaks.on.ca.

April 18, 2020

A First for Five Oaks during COVID-19

March 24, 2020

Dear Friends,

Yesterday, the Premier of Ontario announced that all non-essential businesses must close. Five Oaks will cease operations until further notice and is not at this time able to welcome guests, non-essential staff and volunteers to the site. We have reduced our staffing configuration with temporary layoffs and have reduced the hours of other staff. We have a dedicated group of folks living onsite to ensure our facility is secure and pray that soon we will be able to resume operations.

Your support is more important now than ever. We look forward to communicating with you in the coming weeks about our plans and progress. Should you wish to reach out, please email at hospitality@fiveoaks.on.ca.

In Peace,
Michael Shewburg
Executive Director

March 17, 2020

Dear Friends,

Today, the Board of Directors and I made the difficult yet obvious decision to close the centre to the public until the Coronavirus outbreak is resolved. This will come into effect Wednesday, March 18 at 5:00pm.

We do not know how long this will last for. We ask that if you need to come into the building that you do not visit if you are sick, have travelled out of Canada in the last 14 days or feel you could have come into contact with the virus. Please ensure that you are taking every precaution necessary.

There will be a staff member in the office Monday to Saturday to answer the phone and continue to work. Other staff will work offsite. This will be the practice until/if a new position by government is introduced.

Stay tuned for more information in the days to come. Your continued support of the centre will be needed.

We look forward to a sunnier times , until then, I wish everyone well.

In Peace,
Michael Shewburg
Executive Director

March 13, 2020

Five Oaks is open and continues to be a sacred place where people, as individuals or in intentional community, come apart to look deeply into their own lives and the world in light of faith and values, and find their calling to participate in Spirit’s healing work in creation. Five Oaks has been monitoring closely the developments of COVID-19 and is following the instructions of all levels of government. Our efforts to mitigate its spread are guided by the research and response by Brant County Health Unit, the Government of Ontario, and the Government of Canada.

The safety of our guests and staff is our top priority. Below is a full description which outlines the steps that we have taken to date. We are happy to have a conversation with you in more detail regarding any item that is outlined in the attached document. Please give us a call.

You are welcome to visit this sacred space to find connection with the earth, yourself and your family. Come on your own, with a friend, or with your kids to walk our trails, spend time on the labyrinth or sit by the river in communion with Creator. We are open Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm for community access – visit us at the office upon arrival. A free will donation can be offered and is deeply appreciated.

In Peace,
Michael Shewburg
Executive Director

March 13, 2020

Airborne Virus Preparedness – Quick Facts for Guests

Five Oaks continues to be sacred place where people, as individuals or in intentional community, come apart to look deeply into their own lives and the world in light of faith and values, and find their calling to participate in Spirit’s healing work in creation. In order for Five Oaks centre to be as prepared as possible for Coronavirus, the following document has been created for your information.

Five Oaks is open and welcomes you;

On top of already a high degree of cleanliness, Five Oaks is taking the following additional steps:

  • Sanitation of railings and doorknobs to bathrooms and hallway/entry-exit doorways
  • Surfaces (e.g. desks and tables) and objects (e.g. telephones, keyboards) to be wiped with disinfectant regularly
  • Display posters in public areas
  • Sanitation of dining room tables after each meal with industrial strength sanitizer
  • Daily sanitation of washrooms in occupied areas
  • Added hand sanitizer to entryways and meeting spaces
  • Tissues in all meeting rooms and bedrooms.
  • In rooms or offices where a staff member or guest has had a cold, additional deep cleaning of all hard and porous surfaces should be followed including wipe down of all surfaces and the laundering of all fabrics before the next guest arrives.
  • We ask staff, guests and visitors to take all personal precautions as suggested by health authorities-washing hands, using sanitizers, staying home if they see any symptoms, etc.;
  • We ask that if a guest in your group develops symptoms while they are here to please let us know right away;
  • Five Oaks is in touch with local health authorities and is on top of situation and will follow their guidance and advice;
  • Five Oaks requires full contact information for all guests including address, telephone number and email address. Five Oaks will provide a form for group leaders to complete prior to arrival;
  • Five Oaks will continue to have open and honest communications and;
  • Five Oaks will have an open conversation about postponed bookings or participation in programs one month prior to scheduled dates. Should the need arise to postpone a booking, a 10% cancellation charge will be applied for administrative coverage and the remaining deposit will be forwarded to your rescheduled date. Should you choose to fully cancel your booking, the 30% cancellation fee will be applied.