Message from the President (August 18, 2021)

Posted on Wednesday, August 18th, 2021

August 18, 2021

Dear Colleagues and Learners:

Driven by new public health recommendations and the growing impact of COVID-19 variants of concern, Algonquin College has decided to implement a mandatory vaccination policy for the Fall 2021 Term.

All learners, employees, contractors and visitors will require proof of COVID-19 vaccination – unless exempted – in order to attend in-person activities at our campuses in Ottawa, Pembroke and Perth. This includes those learners living in our Residence on the Ottawa Campus.

Starting September 7, the College will require those accessing our campuses to show proof they have received at least one dose of an approved COVID-19 vaccine – with a second-dose vaccination requirement to follow by October 12 at the latest.

In making this change, Algonquin College joins a number of post-secondary institutions across Ottawa, Ontario, Canada and abroad.

The implementation details surrounding our mandatory vaccination policy are under development and will be shared with the College community in the near future. We intend to make this process as simple as possible with app-based technology.

Throughout the summer, we have been strongly encouraging everyone in our College community to get vaccinated against COVID-19. I cannot stress enough how important it is for the members of the College to contribute to the safety of our community by ensuring they are fully vaccinated. This policy is an extension of that call to action. Vaccination is a shared responsibility to help protect everyone. Details on vaccination opportunities in our campus communities can be found here.

Those employees and learners required to access one of our campuses should also visit our Campus Access site for details on training and health and safety protocols – from physical distancing to mandatory mask use (for Pembroke Campus, visit here). Once we announce additional details about our mandatory vaccination policy and related procedures, you will also find them on this site.

Every decision the College has made throughout this pandemic has been shaped by evolving public health guidance as well as one overarching principle: to put the health and safety of our employees and learners first. We continue to make progress towards a return to a more normalized campus environment. With your cooperation and commitment, our mandatory vaccination policy will be another tool to help us reach that goal. I looking forward to the start of the new academic year and the Fall Term.

Stay well everyone.

Sincerely,

Claude Brulé
President and CEO
Algonquin College


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