Good afternoon Ontario District members and friends,
I regret to inform you that, due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, the Ontario District Spring Convention scheduled for April 17-19, including the House of Delegates meeting, has been cancelled. The Barbershop Harmony Society staff, with guidance from the District President’s Council and the Society Contest and Judging Committee, have made the recommendation to cancel all district events and international preliminary contests for Spring 2020. This decision is consistent with the recommendations of Health Canada given the risk considerations of our event. The quartet qualification process for 2020 International Convention in Los Angeles, and the impact on the International Convention itself, has not yet been finalized.
Thank you for your understanding as we do our part in addressing this global crisis. The barbershop art form is far more than a hobby; it is a lifestyle and a family. The togetherness we experience through barbershop is like nothing else I have ever experienced, but our primary priority is and will always be the health and well-being of our singing communities.
Our convention team is in the process of establishing a policy for refunding confirmed convention registrations or crediting them toward future conventions. I will be in contact when the new procedure is confirmed.
Please observe the recommendations of your public health departments and officials in the coming weeks.
In harmony,
Michael Black
President
Ontario District