Carleton University, University of Ottawa set to resume in-person learning
Students and faculty will return to campus for in-person learning at the University of Ottawa and Carleton University this winter.
Ottawa's two universities have announced that the campuses will re-open for in-person courses and activities.
University of Ottawa students will return to campus on Jan. 31, while Carleton University will resume in-person learning on Feb. 7.
Both universities moved classes online following the holiday break due to the rise of cases associated with the COVID-19 Omicron variant.
UNIVERSITY OF OTTAWA
In a letter to students late Wednesday afternoon, uOttawa President and Vice-Chancellor Jacques Fremont says the return to campus will begin on Jan. 31 for students and professors.
"Information we have received to date from provincial and municipal public health authorities is unequivocal," said Fremont.
"The message is clear: under current conditions, we can envisage a return to campus in person starting January 31, so long as preventative measures are followed at all times, including mandatory vaccination, masking and physical distancing of two metres, along with other public health and safety recommendations. Vaccination remains our best protection against COVID-19."
All students and staff are required to have received two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, and the university is encouraging everyone to get their third dose.
Fremont says all in-person or bimodal courses will be given as initially planned for in the Winter 2022 term, and each faculty will provide information to students soon.
CARLETON UNIVERSITY
Carleton University President and Vice-Chancellor Benoit-Antoine Bacon says "barring another dramatic change in the trajectory of the pandemic", Carleton University will re-open its facilities and resume in-person learning on Feb. 7.
"I am grateful that our in-person activities for winter 2022 were carefully established with the health and safety of our community as our primary concern," said Bacon in a letter to students and faculty.
"Especially given that we have maintained physical distancing in all classrooms in designing the winter 2022 schedule, we are confident that these activities can be delivered safely in the present context."
Bacon says units in Phases 2 and 3 will resume in-person operations on campus similar to Fall 2021. Units in Phase 4 will be contacted regarding the scheduling of their return to campus.
Carleton is encouraging all students, faculty and support staff to get their third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Stamp prices rise for the third time in five years amid financial woes for Canada Post
Canada Post is increasing stamp prices for the third time since 2019, a move the Crown corporation says is a "reality" of its sales-based revenue structure.
BREAKING Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, claims he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women in Winnipeg, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Trudeau Liberals to unveil new bill Monday aimed at countering foreign interference
Democratic Institutions Minister Dominic LeBlanc will be tabling legislation on Monday aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada. Federal officials have scheduled a technical briefing on the incoming bill for Monday afternoon.
WATCH Avian flu: Risk to humans grows as outbreaks spread, warns expert
H5N1 or avian flu is decimating wildlife around the world and is now spreading among cattle in the United States, sparking concerns about 'pandemic potential' for humans. Now a health expert is urging Canada to scale up surveillance north of the border.
Human remains were found at a former Hitler base, but decay prevents determining the cause of death
Polish prosecutors have discontinued an investigation into human skeletons found at a site where German dictator Adolf Hitler and other Nazi leaders spent time during the Second World War because the advanced state of decay made it impossible to determine the cause of death, a spokesman said Monday.
Italy's white-collar mafia is making a business killing
Italy's mafia rarely dirties its hands with blood these days. Extortion rackets have gone out of fashion and murders are largely frowned upon by the godfathers.
Ontario MPP asked again to leave Ontario legislature over keffiyeh, Speaker loosens ban
An Ontario MPP was asked again to leave the Ontario legislature on Monday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment that was banned by the Speaker last month due to its political symbolism.
The story of how a B.C. man found his birth mother
After his adopted parents died, Dave Rogers set out to learn more about his birth mother. DNA results and a little help from friendly strangers would put him on a path to a small town in England.
Trump fined US$1,000 for gag order violation in hush money case as judge warns of possible jail time
The judge presiding over Donald Trump's hush money trial fined him US$1,000 on Monday for violating his gag order once again and sternly warned the former president that additional violations could result in jail time.