CFL, CFLPA agree to use third-party air quality testing to determine game status

The CFL and CFL Players’ Association have agreed to use a third-party air quality tester to determine whether a game should proceed.

The joint statement comes after Occupational Health and Safety in Alberta launched an investigation into the CFL’s decision to play the Edmonton Elks-Calgary Stampeders game Monday despite smoky conditions in Calgary.

The contest was played despite Environment Canada’s Air Quality Health index for Calgary measuring between eight and 10 throughout the day.

“After a productive meeting, we will maintain our existing Air Quality Policy. We have agreed to engage an independent third party organization to test air quality and provide measurements in real time,” the statement read.

​”The decision on whether to play — or to continue playing if a game is in progress — will be based solely on these air quality measurements.

​”Any measurement above an Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) reading of 7 will halt play.”

The CFL and CFLPA have a policy that’s been in place since 2019 that states on-field activities are to either be cancelled or ceased when the air-quality rating exceeds seven.

The CFLPA believes Monday’s game shouldn’t have been played due to a poor air-quality reading. The union says it twice informed the CFL in writing — before the opening kickoff and afterwards — that the contest shouldn’t go ahead because of unsafe work conditions.

In its submission to the CFL after the opening kickoff, the CFLPA stated air-quality levels in Calgary were hazardous and posed a threat to the health and safety of players on the field. It asked the league to delay the game until such time as those levels dropped to seven or below.

The union also added if the game went ahead, it would bring the matter to the attention of Alberta’s Occupational Health and Safety. The CFLPA says a complaint was filed and the OHS is now investigating the matter.

A game can start with an air quality of seven so long as conditions aren’t projected to worsen. But Environment Canada’s AQI for northwest Calgary was still at nine four hours after kickoff.

Forest fire smoke drifted into Calgary overnight Saturday. Environment Canada’s air quality index at kickoff Monday read nine out of 10, or “high risk.”

On Sunday, the CFL and union both monitored air-quality readings in Regina but the Saskatchewan Roughriders-Winnipeg Blue Bombers game went ahead as scheduled because conditions there improved.

Poor air quality this year has resulted in a number of CFL teams moving their practices to indoor facilities. In May, the Roughriders’ Green and White scrimmage was cancelled after two drives due to the poor air quality caused by smoke from wildfires.

“Before the Labour Day Classic in Calgary, beginning at noon, air quality readings were taken inside McMahon Stadium every 30 minutes until the conclusion of the game,” said a CFL spokesman. “Each of those readings was shared with the league office, the CFLPA and the two competing teams.”

–With files from the Canadian Press