Western revokes COVID-19 vaccine policy, mask mandate remains in effect
A student walks towards the Western University campus in London, Ont. on Wednesday, September 15, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nicole Osborne
London, Ont.’s Western University will be dropping its COVID-19 vaccination policy, the university announced Tuesday afternoon.
In a statement from Western University, the university has decided to revoke its COVID-19 vaccination policy, and will no longer require students, employees and visitors to be vaccinated in order to come to campus.
Western said it has been dedicated to regularly reviewing its vaccine policy, and therefore the decision was made following consultation with medical experts and local public health authorities.
Despite the change in policy, Western reiterates that “public health guidance remains clear: vaccination continues to be the best defence against severe illness and hospitalization. We strongly encourage everyone to remain up to date on their vaccinations.”
With the fall semester nearing an end, Western thanked its students and faculty for their cooperation.
“Before we enter the busy exam season, we want to thank you for taking care of yourselves, each other, and our community. With your help, Western has minimized the impact of COVID-19 and offered a consistent, positive on-campus experience this term.
Masks however will still be required in instructional spaces for the winter term after the December break.
Medical-grade masks are available for free in libraries and in some of Western’s largest classrooms.
In what was seen as a controversial decision back in August, Western announced the implementation of COVID-19 vaccination and masking policies for the fall semester. This was in contrast to London's Fanshawe College, which did not mandate either for its students and staff.
“Thanks to everyone in our Western community for keeping each other safe,” Western said in a statement. ”We look forward to seeing you back on campus in January and wish you a restful and safe winter break.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Woman detained in Syria says Ottawa is forcing her to make agonizing choice in order to get her kids to Canada
A woman held in a detention camp in Syria, along with her three Canadian children, says the federal government is forcing her to make an agonizing choice: relinquish custody of her kids so they can be repatriated to Canada, or keep them in the camp where the conditions are dire. Her children are eligible for repatriation but she is not a Canadian citizen.
Loblaw ends No Name price freeze, vows 'flat' pricing 'wherever possible'
Loblaw will not be extending its price freeze on No Name brand products, but vows to keep the yellow label product-pricing flat 'wherever possible.'
opinion
opinion | Don Martin: Trudeau meets the moment – and ducks for cover
Based on Justin Trudeau's first-day fail in the House of Commons, 'meeting the moment' is destined to become the most laughable slogan since the elder Pierre Trudeau’s disastrous campaign rallying cry in 1972, which insisted 'the land is strong' just as the economy tanked.
Tyre Nichols case shows officers still fail to intervene
More disciplinary action may be coming now that the harrowing video of Tyre Nichols' treatment has been released. The Memphis police department is among many U.S. law enforcement agencies with 'duty to intervene' policies. Memphis police relieved two other officers of duty Monday and say the department is still investigating what happened.
Family in remote northern Ont. reeling after daughter killed in fire, home destroyed
A family in the remote First Nation community in Peawanuck, Ont., is dealing not only with the death of their young daughter, but the loss of everything they owned in a Jan. 28 house fire.
How did a radioactive capsule go missing in Australia and how dangerous is it?
Australian authorities are mounting an extensive search for a tiny radioactive capsule believed to have fallen out of a road train that travelled 1,400 km in Western Australia. Here's what you need to know:
As B.C. decriminalizes hard drugs, users still face months-long waits for treatment
As the B.C. government decriminalizes small amounts of hard drugs, critics note there are still not enough treatment resources for the users seeking them.
Monkeys taken from Dallas Zoo in latest suspicious incident
Two monkeys were taken from the Dallas Zoo on Monday, police said, the latest in a string of odd incidents at the attraction being investigated -- including fences being cut and the suspicious death of an endangered vulture in the past few weeks.
Ukraine pushes for Western fighter jets after tank deals
Ukraine is pushing its Western allies to provide it with fighter jets, a week after winning pledges of sophisticated modern tanks to help it beat back Russia's invasion force after almost a year of fighting.
Kitchener
-
Kitchener crash causes heavy damage, road closure
A crash between a box truck and a convertible has caused heavy damage to one vehicle and a road closure in Kitchener.
-
Driver charged in crash that killed Galt Country Club GM
A driver has been charged in a fatal crash that killed a long-standing member of Cambridge's golf community.
-
Mike Schreiner responds to Liberal plea for a greener leader
Ontario Greens leader and MPP for Guelph, Mike Schreiner, said he is going to take time to "think about the arguments" following an open letter requesting him to run for the Ontario Liberal Party leadership.
Windsor
-
Warning over porch pirate targeting LaSalle homes: police
LaSalle police are asking the public to be on the lookout for porch pirates after reports of two recent thefts.
-
Cause is 'undetermined' after LaSalle fire
LaSalle fire officials say the cause of a house fire is listed as undetermined.
-
EMS treating 'two critical patients' after crash on Queen's Line
Chatham-Kent EMS is assessing and treating “two critical patients” following a crash on Queen’s Line. Emergency crews were called to the scene at Sinclair Road 2 around 7 a.m.
Barrie
-
Travel advisory for parts of Central Ontario
Winter weather advisories were issued for Central Ontario this morning.
-
Barrie police officer pleads guilty to assault charge
Jason Stamp, a former Barrie police officer, has pleaded guilty to assault of skateboarder.
-
Ice fishing is still on thin ice
While people are still waiting to head out on some parts of Lake Simcoe, many have been out for weeks in certain areas
Northern Ontario
-
Ontario woman shocked she has to pay for car repairs after hit-and-run collision
An Ontario woman said she was shocked when she had to pay for repairs after her car was struck from behind by a pick-up truck and the driver fled the scene of the collision.
-
Girl, 6, dies after T-bar lift incident at Quebec ski resort
A six-year-old girl died in hospital Sunday night after being involved in an incident at the Val-Saint-Côme ski resort in Lanaudiere. Quebec police are investigating, though details into the event are not yet known. Officers indicated that it involved a T-bar lift, but they were not able to say more.
-
'Laverne & Shirley' actor Cindy Williams dies at 75
Cindy Williams, who was among the most recognizable stars in America in the 1970s and 80s for her role as Shirley opposite Penny Marshall's Laverne on the beloved sitcom 'Laverne & Shirley,' has died, her family said Monday.
Ottawa
-
Man stabbed to death in south Ottawa apartment
The Ottawa police homicide unit is investigating after a man was stabbed to death at an apartment in the city's south end overnight.
-
Patients left in lurch after Orleans doctors plan to close practices
Patients of an east Ottawa clinic say they've been left in the lurch after learning they would need to find new family doctors because their doctors were closing their medical practices.
-
Two serious crashes on Ottawa roads Tuesday morning
Emergency crews had to extricate people from vehicles in two separate crashes in Ottawa on Tuesday morning.
Toronto
-
Jeopardy! dedicates entire category to Ontario but one question stumps every contestant
Jeopardy! turned the spotlight on Ontario on Monday night with a category entirely dedicated to the province. One question stumped every contestant.
-
Toronto man sentenced to 8 and a half years after pleading guilty in 2 violent sexual assault cold cases
A 33-year-old Toronto man has been sentenced to eight and a half years in custody after pleading guilty in connection with two violent sexual assaults in Mississauga and Richmond Hill almost a decade ago.
-
No interest in 'watering down' LTC standards: Ontario minister
Ontario's long-term care minister says he will take a look at new national standards for the sector, but he has no interest in "watering down" what the province is already doing to improve care.
Montreal
-
Quebec's efforts to hire nurses from abroad falling short
After failing to recruit hundreds of orderlies internationally, Francois Legault's government is now dangling the same solution to the nursing shortage. If the past is any indication of the future, the chances are slim that Quebec will see thousands of professional nurses coming to the rescue of the health-care system.
-
WEATHER
WEATHER | Polar vortex to bring coldest air in years to parts of Quebec
So far, the winter season across Southwestern Quebec has been marked by above-average snowfall and above-average temperatures, but that is about to change. Cold, arctic air has been gradually pushing into the province.
-
Family of man killed while unlawfully detained in Montreal jail wants surveillance video released
The family of a Montreal man who died after he was seriously injured by jail guards while he was illegally detained is calling for surveillance video of the incident to be released publicly. 'It is our understanding that the footage has been reviewed – and is extremely disturbing. But that is more reason to release the video footage immediately,' said the CCLA's Akwasi Owusu-Bempah.
Atlantic
-
911 issues fixed in the Maritimes following Tuesday morning outage
911 emergency calling in all three Maritime provinces has been fixed following service issues Tuesday morning.
-
Halifax RCMP responding to single vehicle collision on Highway 103
Officers with the Halifax District RCMP are currently responding to a single vehicle collision on Highway 103.
-
Moncton fire battles fourth structure fire in a week
The Moncton Fire Department responded to a house fire Tuesday morning, marking the fourth structure fire the city has seen over the past week.
Winnipeg
-
'We don't turn anyone away': How organizations are helping Winnipeg's most vulnerable during cold snap
An extreme cold warning is in effect for Winnipeg, and as temperatures dip to dangerous levels, some shelters are at – or even over – capacity.
-
Manitoba First Nation to sign child welfare agreement with Ottawa, province
Peguis First Nation is set to become the first Indigenous group in Manitoba to take control of child welfare under federal legislation that came into effect three years ago.
-
Extreme cold to continue for rest of the week in Manitoba
For anyone looking for a break from the frigid Manitoba cold, you may have to wait another few days.
Calgary
-
Highway 560 closed between Calgary and Chestermere, 'multiple vehicles in ditch'
A section of highway between the cities of Calgary and Chestermere was closed to traffic during Tuesday morning's commute after multiple vehicles left the road.
-
Search underway for Calgary senior last seen in Marlborough Park
The Calgary Police Service is asking Calgarians to keep an eye out for a 76-year-old man who went missing Monday afternoon.
-
UCP holds narrow lead with upcoming election set to be political horserace: ThinkHQ
A new political poll crafted by ThinkHQ Public Affairs says if an election were held in Alberta today, voters would be split on who should form the next government.
Edmonton
-
Calgary, Toronto men arrested in series of Land Rover thefts in Edmonton; 1 still wanted by police
Men from Calgary and the Greater Toronto Area have been charged in a rash of thefts of newer Land Rovers in Edmonton and police are looking for a third person.
-
'Disturbing': Smith promises change after Edmonton bus damaged, rider threatened with ice pick
A 20-year-old man has been arrested and charged after police say he caused more than $5,000 worth of damage to an Edmonton Transit Bus and threatened a female passenger, acts that drew condemnation from Alberta's premier.
-
Nature Conservancy of Canada purchases land for protection in southern Alberta
A property that includes fescue grasslands, forests and wetlands near Waterton Lakes National Park in southern Alberta has been purchased by the Nature Conservancy of Canada.
Vancouver
-
Illicit drug death toll surpasses 2,000 in B.C. for a 2nd consecutive year
British Columbia lost 2,272 lives to illicit drugs in 2022, new data released by the BC Coroners Service shows.
-
'Door indication signal' forces Air Canada flight to land shortly after YVR takeoff
An Air Canada flight out of Vancouver International Airport was forced to land shortly after takeoff Monday afternoon when the pilots discovered a "door indication signal," according to the airline.
-
As B.C. decriminalizes hard drugs, users still face months-long waits for treatment
As the B.C. government decriminalizes small amounts of hard drugs, critics note there are still not enough treatment resources for the users seeking them.