Seneca College makes COVID-19 vaccination mandatory for returning to campus in September

Vaccines will be mandatory to return to at least one college campus in the GTA this September.

Seneca College will require all students and staff, including those in its two residences, to get vaccinated against COVID-19 for in-person teaching, learning and working."

The mandate will be effective starting Sept. 7. However, the college has not yet finalized its vaccination policy. It is unclear whether partially vaccinated individuals will be allowed to return on campus.

Meanwhile, students who choose not to be vaccinated, will need to take a program that is offered either online or in a flexible delivery format," Seneca spokesperson Caroline Grech told the Star.

It is believed to be the first Ontario post-secondary institution to make vaccination a condition for attending campus.

Other institutions like the University of Toronto and Western University will also require students living in residences to be vaccinated for the upcoming school year.

With files from Maria Sarrouh

Anushka Yadav is a reporter for the Star's radio room based in Toronto. Reach Anushka via email: ayadav@thestar.ca