The University of Waterloo says it decided to remain open on a day when all other elementary, secondary and post-secondary schools in the region were closed because it felt students, staff and faculty could make it to campus safely.

Provost Ian Orchard said university management monitors road conditions carefully after significant snowfall. If local roads are plowed, city buses are running and campus paths are cleared, then the university keeps its campus open.

"The first thing we consider is the safety of our community," he said. "We felt that it was relatively safe for faculty, staff and students to come to campus [and] also to be able to move around campus."

When asked why a daycare centre on school property was closed, while the rest of the campus was opened, Orchard said the daycare had an independent operator with its own protocol for deciding when to call a snow day.

Orchard said the university was comfortable with its decision to remain open, even though all other schools in the region were closed.

"I do notice that the weather warning has been lifted by Environment Canada and...we look forward to a glorious day here," he said in an interview Monday morning.

His comments come after students at the university took to social media in droves to express their disappointment with the decision to keep campus open.

All classes both daytime and evening at all locations of Conestoga College were cancelled due to the weather.

Wilfrid Laurier University was closed – including both Waterloo and Brantford campuses – as was the faculty of social work in Kitchener. The University of Guelph was also closed.

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