In response to the evolving pandemic situation and following recent government announcements, Humber College has made some changes to the plans for in-person learning for the Winter 2022 term. These plans are intended to ensure that the experiential learning needs of our student community are met. 

On January 24, all lab-based courses will return to campus as planned and in compliance with local public health guidelines and government directives. 

All theory-based courses will remain online until Sunday, March 6. We are planning to return to in-person learning on Monday, March 7. There may be very limited exceptions and learners in those situations will be advised directly.    

Students will receive additional details from their programs. 

Should there be any further changes to academic delivery plans, we will update students accordingly. Please visit www.humber.ca/updates for the most recent information. 

Impacts of Recent Government Announcements on Humber Operations 

On January 3, the Ontario government announced that the province would be moving to a modified version of Step Two of the Roadmap to Reopen. Following this announcement, the Ministry of Colleges and Universities confirmed that there are still no changes to capacity limits or physical distancing requirements for instructional spaces at post-secondary institutions.  

There are changes that will impact some of Humber’s service areas, including fitness centres and food services. The government’s January 3 announcement included the following measures, in place until at least January 26: 

• Closing indoor sport and recreational fitness facilities, including gyms.
  • Humber’s fitness facilities will be closed until at least January 26. 
• Closing indoor dining at restaurants, bars and other food or drink establishments, including food courts. Takeout, drive-through and delivery is permitted.  
  • Humber’s food services will be limited with no indoor dining options. Food will be available to take away. Please see food services hours and availability for January 4 to 23. During this period, we ask that students and staff do not congregate without masks while dining. 
• Retail settings, including shopping malls, permitted at 50 per cent capacity. 
  • Campus stores are open and are offering both online and in-store shopping (limited to 50 per cent capacity) to provide students and the Humber community with one-stop convenience. Order online at www.humbershop.ca for North Campus and www.humberlakeshoreshop.ca for Lakeshore Campus with free pick up in-store. For updated information on store news and hours, please visit North Campus Store and Lakeshore Campus Store.    
• Reducing social gathering limits to five people indoors and 10 people outdoors. 
  • Social gatherings within Humber, including Residence, will be limited and adhere to these limits, provided physical distancing or masking is in place. Any additional impacts to residence, including any refund options can be found at humber.ca/residence.
• Public libraries are limited to 50 per cent capacity. 
  • Humber Libraries physical locations are closed until such time as students return to campus, but a variety of online services and resources are available, including virtual research instruction and Idea Lab digital fluency supports. 

It was also announced that all publicly funded and private schools would be moving to remote learning starting January 5 until at least January 14. We know that this will likely be challenging for our staff who are parents and caregivers. Please speak with your manager about any concerns you have or challenges you may be facing in the coming weeks. We need to continue to be understanding of the different circumstances as we work through this situation together. In addition, to assist with reducing the spread of COVID-19, I would ask all managers to ensure that any work that is operationally feasible, be performed remotely. 

On December 30, the Ontario government also announced Updating Public Health Measures and Guidance in Response to Omicron. Following the changes to PCR testing availability and isolation periods, in consultation with Toronto Public Health, Humber has updated the instructions on Reporting COVID-19 at Humber: When and How to Report. 

We recognize that these changes and the broader provincial directives may cause anxiety for some staff. Resources for health and well-being can be found on the following websites: 

• Healthy Work from Home Resources 
• LifeWorks, a partner provider to Humber has a variety of wellness resources all employees can access for free on their website: www.workhealthlife.com. Search for Humber Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning and find information on a variety of topics areas like health & well-being, career & workplace, financial security, and life events. 

I encourage all staff to take advantage of the resources on these sites. 

We are in a rapidly changing situation in Ontario, and we will continue to share any updates and information that impact Humber operations, as they become available. The latest information can also be found at humber.ca/updates. 

Stay safe and be well,  
 
Lori Diduch 
Vice-President, Human Resources and Organizational Effectiveness