On December 21, the Ontario Government announced the implementation of a province-wide shutdown beginning Saturday, December 26 at 12:01 a.m. and lasting for 28 days in southern Ontario and 14 days in northern Ontario. Please see the full announcement here.
The timing of the Winter 2021 semester remains unchanged. Classes begin the week of January 18, including courses with an in-person component. We recognize that the province-wide shutdown may impact placements for some students. We will contact any affected students as more information becomes available.
Humber’s academic offering of interactive online education remains the same. For on-campus activity, in accordance with the Ministry of Colleges and Universities directive issued on December 4, 2020, the number of students in a learning space is restricted to 10 (with exceptions for a limited number of programs that support the healthcare response to COVID-19). Students impacted by these changes will receive further communication directly from their program.
Humber has collaborated with OPSEU Local 562 and Local 563 regarding winter semester scheduling changes. Faculty or support staff members will be advised of any changes to their SWF or schedule by your manager by Friday, January 8, 2021.
All in-person driving instruction and testing offered through Education and Training Services will be cancelled for the duration of the shutdown, except for courses which are part of the Ontario Driver Certification Program involving the operation of motor vehicles for which an air brake endorsement is required.
Humber will be closed for the winter holiday break at the end of regular business hours on Wednesday, December 23, 2020 and will reopen on Monday, January 4, 2021.
As of this update, we anticipate that Humber’s on-campus services will be the same for Winter 2021 as they were for Fall 2020. For the latest information regarding on-campus services, please visit our FAQ page.
As part of the provincial shutdown, elementary and secondary schools in Ontario will switch to remote-only learning for a period of time after the holiday break. In southern Ontario, elementary schools will be closed until January 11, 2020 and secondary schools will be closed until January 25, 2020.
While this decision is intended to help limit the spread of COVID-19 and reduce the pressures on the healthcare system, we realize that it may also cause complications and additional stress for some members of the Humber community.
In the spring, we shared the Humber at Home Pledge to outline the guiding principles of how we want our community to navigate this evolving situation. As a reminder, it includes:
- Being respectful of individual circumstances and supportive of colleagues
- Prioritizing our own health and wellness
- Being thoughtful about how we conduct meetings and use technology
- Being dedicated to opening the lines of communication
- Adjusting our expectations and respect boundaries
Employees are encouraged to speak with their manager about any concerns they may have about managing responsibilities at home and at work.
We remain committed to working with the provincial government and local health authorities and adhering to health and safety requirements. In the event that changes may be required to on-campus services and supports, we will share information with the Humber community as decisions are made.
For the latest campus and COVID-19 information, please visit humber.ca/updates and humber.ca/campus-return.