Union calls for Ontario to institute distancing, capacity limits at universities

People are seen lounging on Ryerson University campus in Toronto, Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Cole Burston

TORONTO — A union representing workers on university campuses in Ontario is calling for the government to put classroom capacity limits and distancing requirements in place.

Ontario announced earlier this month that it wouldn't require distancing or class caps when post-secondary institutions resume in-person learning.

CUPE Ontario represents workers - including those in administrative, food service, research, and teaching assistant positions - on 17 university campuses.

President Fred Hahn says that the universities' proof-of-vaccination and mandatory masking policies are not enough to stop the spread of the Delta variant of COVID-19.

He says he's hearing from members that classrooms are packed with sometimes hundreds of people, and he calls that a "recipe for disaster."

A spokeswoman for the Ministry of Colleges and Universities said earlier that schools are able to institute their own, stricter rules.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 23, 2021.