On-campus classes, activities cancelled at Edmonton universities

EDMONTON -

Thursday's in-person classes have been cancelled at Edmonton post-secondary schools as the provincial government takes emergency action to limit the impact of COVID-19 on hospitals.

The University of Alberta, Concordia and MacEwan Universities, and the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology were forced to make the cancellations after a Wednesday evening announcement by top government and health officials.

Among other things, Alberta is making physical distancing in all public indoor locations mandatory, and soon starting a vaccine passport-type system which will exclude vaccinated residents from certain restrictions.

"Until post-secondary institutions implement a Restrictions Exemption Program on Monday, September 20, 2021 in accordance with the government announcement, we are required under the new public health order to meet physical distancing requirements in all indoor locations," the notice by the U of A read.

"We are unable to accommodate this requirement; therefore, campus is closed," Concordia told its student body.

The U of A said all in-person classes on Friday that could be delivered online will be. On Monday, in-person classes will continue as scheduled for the remainder of the fall term.

NAIT, MacEwan and Concordia all cancelled on-campus learning Thursday and Friday and promised an update soon.

Online classes will continue.

Universities in Calgary also cancelled Thursday's in-person classes.