9 schools ‘return to normal’ following bomb threat in Oakville and Burlington

A Halton Regional Police vehicle is shown in Oakville, Ont., Wednesday, Jan.18, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Richard Buchan

Police in Halton Region have allowed nine schools to “return to normal” following an anonymous bomb threat earlier this morning at Halton District School Board and Halton Catholic District School Board.

It’s unclear what time the threat was received but officials said the threat was directed at schools in Oakville and Burlington.

The affected schools included Oakville Trafalgar High School, Iroquois Ridge High School, Abbey Park High School, White Oaks Secondary School, Garth Webb Secondary School, Appleby College, Holy Trinity Catholic Secondary School, Loyola Catholic Secondary School and St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Secondary School.

Police said none of the schools were placed under hold-and-secure orders and there were no evacuations while conducted “thorough searches.”

“Our officers have completed thorough searches of the affected schools,” police said in a statement, shortly before noon.

“No credible evidence was located to suggest a threat to the safety of faculty, students or the public. All schools have resumed normal operations, however the investigation onto the threat remains ongoing.”

The threats come just days after 16 schools in Toronto received bomb threats, prompting the temporary evacuation of two school buildings.

Toronto police have said that they believe the threats were made by the same individual and were not credible.