How Canadian Universities & Colleges Are Responding To Coronavirus

Update: As most universities and colleges across Canada head into the third week of COVID-19-related closures, and online classes are wrapping up for the semester, many students are asking: what's next? Final exams have either been moved online, cancelled, or replaced with additional coursework. As a result of ongoing social-distancing for the foreseeable future, many convocation ceremonies have been cancelled or postponed. Universities across the country, including the University of Toronto and the University of British Columbia, are exploring the possibility of alternative ways to celebrate graduates. Spring and summer courses will no longer be running in-person and instead will only be offered online. For further updates and further information refer to your school's official website.

Thousands of post-secondary students across Canada are petitioning to close university and college campuses and move classes and exams online in an attempt to slow down the spread of coronavirus, which is now a global pandemic. Over 235,000 (and counting) people have signed an online petition to the Government of Canada. The petition was started by University of Waterloo student Ryan Han to address the “apathy from policy makers who underestimate” the risk associated with the virus. (Experts say social distancing — closing schools, avoiding large crowds — is one of the most-effective ways to reduce cases of COVID-19.) As of March 13, UofW suspended all on-campus courses including in-person exams until the end of the term.

Since Friday, schools from coast to coast have taken similar precautions including the University of British Columbia, McGill University in Montreal, and Dalhousie University in Halifax. The University of Prince Edward Island will also be suspending in-person classes as of today. This comes shortly after the province confirmed its first case of COVID-19 on Saturday.

In Toronto, where 11 new cases were announced today, the University of Toronto, Ryerson University, and York University have all implemented alternate forms of classes. Meanwhile, elementary and secondary schools across Ontario will be shut down for two weeks after March Break, the Ontario government announced last week, and Quebec schools will also be closed for two weeks. Alberta schools are also now closed as of today. Here are all the Canadian universities and colleges that are closed to prevent the spread of coronavirus.