Lockdown and hold and secure measures lifted at Toronto schools after threat: school board

The Toronto District School Board says several schools were placed either in lockdown or hold and secure measures for a period on Monday while police investigated a threat.

All students are safe, the TDSB said in a tweet. Roughly 40 minutes after its initial alert just after noon, the board said all precautions had been lifted.

"The Toronto police investigation continues," the board said in a tweet. No other details were shared.

The board saidSir Wilfrid Laurier Collegiate Institutewas placed in lockdown, whileJack Miner Senior Public School was placed in a hold and secure because of a separate threat, but with no known connection between the two.

Guildwood Junior Public School, Maplewood High School, Eastview Public School,Elizabeth Simcoe Junior Public Schooland Popular Road Junior Public School were also placed in hold and secure because of their proximity, the board said.

According to the TDSB's website,a hold and secureis a response to a threat or incident in the general vicinity of a school, but not on or very near to school property. School life continues as normal inside, butouter doors to the building are locked and no one can enter or leave.

A lockdown is enacted, meanwhile, when there is a threat inside a school, or on or very near school properly. Outer doors are locked like in a hold and secure, but all students also have to kept in classrooms or other designated locations, and inner doors should also be locked when possible. Entry and exit from the building is restricted to emergency services.

There have been multiple lockdownsinschools in southern Ontario in recent weeks, includingin Torontoand in Hamilton.