Ontario university vaccine mandates mean some students being barred from campus
Several universities in Ontario are moving to bar unvaccinated students from campus as their mandatory vaccination policies take full effect.
The schools say the vast majority of their students have now provided proof of COVID-19 vaccination, but the few that have not will in most cases no longer be able to access university buildings or attend on-campus classes and activities.
At the University of Waterloo -- where about 95 per cent of students have had a COVID-19 shot -- a spokesman said those who aren't fully immunized cannot take in-person classes and in many cases won't be able to continue their education at the school.
"Those students can consider continuing to pursue their education by selecting from among the online courses that are scheduled, perhaps as a part-time student," said Chris Wilson-Smith. "(They can consider) taking relevant courses at another university on a letter of permission, or delaying their learning at Waterloo indefinitely."
McMaster University in Hamilton, where 96 per cent of students taking in-person classes have submitted proof of vaccination, said unvaccinated students without valid exemptions will be unenrolled from winter courses as there's an expectation they'll need to attend campus at some point next semester.
For the fall term, the school said those who didn't provide proof of vaccination by an Oct. 17 deadline will likely be able to complete their courses remotely.
"However, they are not allowed to come to campus for any activities," said spokesman Wade Hemsworth.
At York University in north Toronto, the few students who have not declared their vaccine status risked "de-enrolment" from in-person classes, according to information posted on the school website.
"As of Tuesday, October 19, 2021, university community members who have not provided proof of vaccination or received an exemption are not permitted to attend campus," said Yanni Dagonas, noting that 97 per cent of almost 32,000 students are fully vaccinated.
At many schools, students have been required to upload proof of vaccination to online university portals. Their vaccine information is then linked to their student cards, which are used to enter many university buildings.
Universities aren't having staff stop students on campus to demand proof of vaccination, but are directly contacting those who have yet to declare their vaccine status to discuss their options.
The University of Ottawa said only two per cent of its nearly 42,500 students are unvaccinated or haven't declared their vaccination status. The school is now in discussions with those students -- who aren't permitted on campus -- to provide them with online alternatives.
At the University of Toronto, 96 per cent of nearly 86,500 students and employees have submitted proof of full vaccination, and another 3 per cent have their first shot. Students have to be fully vaccinated by Oct. 29 to maintain access to campus.
Dr. Salvatore Spadafora, the special advisor to the university's president and provost on COVID-19, said the vaccine mandate is an important part of the school's goal of having in-person learning resume widely as quickly as possible.
"In-person is critical to effective learning, and for students' mental health and well-being," he said.
For a few students, the enforcement of the vaccine mandates mean their education plans may have to change.
Taydon Sinopoli, a third-year environmental engineering student at the University of Waterloo, said he has chosen to not get vaccinated for religious reasons and has submitted a request for an exemption to the vaccine mandate.
He said the exemption application required, among other things, a letter from a religious leader explaining why his beliefs prohibit him from getting the vaccine. Sinopoli, who identifies himself as "non-denominational Christian," said he couldn't find a Canadian church or a priest to write a letter for him, so he had to seek one from an American church.
"The reason why I'm choosing not to vaccinate is because I believe that when Jesus died on the cross, he not only died for our sins, but he also died for salvation and that we have the ability to live free from sickness and disease," he said. "Getting the vaccine would basically diminish my faith and trust in God."
Sarah Gingerich is also opposed to post-secondary vaccine mandates and has decided to take a year off from pursuing her education at the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine in Toronto.
She said getting vaccinated is a personal choice and argued it shouldn't be a condition students have to meet to get the education they want.
"I chose not to go to school this year because I didn't believe in subjecting myself to unjust mandates," she said.
Many post-secondary institutions brought in mandatory vaccine policies this summer after the Council of Ontario Medical Officers of Health recommended that they do so.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 22, 2021.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
Powerful tornado tears across Nebraska, weather service warns of 'catastrophic' damage
Devastating tornadoes tore across parts of eastern Nebraska and northeast Texas Friday as a multi-day severe thunderstorm event ramped up in the central United States, injuring at least three people.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Trump's lawyers try to discredit testimony of prosecution's first witness in hush money trial
Donald Trump's defence team attacked the credibility Friday of the prosecution's first witness in his hush money case, seeking to discredit testimony detailing a scheme between Trump and a tabloid to bury negative stories to protect the Republican's 2016 presidential campaign.