A growing number of Ontario universities and colleges are urging students in residence to return home, if possible, amidst concerns sparked by the COVID-19 outbreak.

The University of Guelph, Wilfrid Laurier, York, Brock and McMaster, are among those that have issued directives to students living in residence — a move that comes on the heels of schools provincewide suspending in-person classes. Emptying out residences can help flatten the curve of the outbreak, a key goal of public health agencies as they work to spread out new coronavirus cases over time and not overburden the health care system.

Wilfrid Laurier, for instance, is requiring students move out of its residences by Wednesday night and only under “exceptional circumstances” can they remain — this includes international students, those in self-isolation, and anyone whose home is out of province or more than five hours away.

Similarly, at Brock University, where “students are urgently advised to return to their family or permanent homes,” residences will close Thursday evening — again, except for those in exceptional circumstances.

Student Sophie Johnston never imagined she would be moving back to Toronto more than a month before the scheduled end of the semester at Brock.

“You’ve got to do what you’ve got to do,” she said Tuesday, while packing up her belongings. Still, the first-year medical-sciences student looks forward to returning home early — despite the circumstances.

On Tuesday, the University of Toronto said it will keep providing residence for those “who cannot return home at this point” and is “working on ways to support students who will not be able to return home when the term ends.”

“We have emergency assistance grants or bursaries available for U of T domestic and international students impacted by COVID-19 and who need immediate short-term financial relief because of unexpected expenses,” according to a university statement.

Meanwhile, at Ryerson University, residence students in Pitman Hall, the Daphne Cockwell Complex and the International Living and Learning Centre were asked on Tuesday to leave as soon as possible.

“Students will be contacted by Student Housing and Community Care concerning move out shortly,” said Ryerson president Mohamed Lachemi in a university posting. “Arrangements will be made for students with exceptional circumstances.”

David Lindsay of the Council of Ontario Universities — the voice of the province’s universities — said schools are following the guidance of health authorities.

“Universities are responding in different ways to the pandemic based on the local recommendations, the nature of their facilities, needs of students and the societal need to help with efforts to flatten the curve,” said Lindsay, the council’s president and CEO. “Our primary concern remains ensuring the safety and health of our students, staff and faculty.”

In recent days, colleges and universities have been following the advice of health authorities, who’ve been calling for increased social distancing measures, which means reducing in-person contact. That’s led schools to suspend in-person classes, moving them online.

“At this time, most university residences (in Canada) remain open,” says Alison Evans, spokesperson for Universities Canada, the voice of universities nationwide.

“But many universities, in Ontario and Nova Scotia particularly, are strongly suggesting that students who can do so leave residence as soon as possible. These universities are keeping residences open for those who still need housing, including international students or out-of-province students who need more time to arrange to move.”

The province’s colleges are encouraging domestic students in residence — but not international students — to return home, said Don Lovisa, chair of Colleges Ontario, which advocates on behalf of the province’s publicly funded colleges.

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“We really want to see a depopulation of our residences,” said Lovisa, adding many colleges can’t outright shut them down since some students depend on them.

For instance, Lovisa, who’s also president of Durham College, said residences there are on campus and students depend on the college for meals, security and other services. By comparison, other colleges, particularly in Toronto, also have off-campus apartment-style residences where students aren’t so reliant on such services.

Linda Franklin, president and CEO of Colleges Ontario says, “Things are changing hourly and college presidents and vice-presidents are on calls every day to monitor the situation across the system.”

With files from the St. Catharines Standard

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