Conestoga College delays start of in-person classes for winter semester

A majority of Conestoga College students will start their winter semester online.

A post on the Ontario college's website says only "essential learning activities and services" will take place on campus next month. The school is taking the precaution because of the rising COVID-19 cases and the highly transmissible Omicron variant.

Students will learn from home, and employees will work remotely where possible, until Jan. 30, the college said.

"Procedures have been added to continue to protect the health, safety and well-being of the college community as on-campus activities expand."

The college saysit remains committed to return to in-person learning on Jan.31 if "public health conditions allow".

The post-secondary institution is the latest to announce a delay to in-person learning. Both Wilfrid LaurierUniversity and the University of Waterloo announced last week that students and staff won't return to in-person learning until at least Jan. 24.

The University of Guelph also said students won't return to on-campus learning until Jan. 24 and staff who were able to work remotely did so as of Dec. 20 after receiving direction to do so by Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health.