Emergency information and campus alerts

Please leave enough time to travel safely and use caution.  

For more information on how we operate during the winter months, review our campus winter weather procedures. 

Travelling to campus:

As a reminder, you’re responsible for determining when weather conditions make your travel unsafe.

This message is sent on behalf of the campus Emergency Management Response Team.

As a result of the incoming weather system, Ontario Tech in-person activities and non-essential campus services will be cancelled as of 7 a.m. Sunday, January 25. Regular in-person operations will resume on Monday, January 26, unless otherwise communicated.

While campus facilities, including the Campus Health and Wellness Centre and Libraries, will be closed, some Food Services, the Campus Fieldhouse and Ice Centre will remain open. 

Please direct any inquiries to your manager or immediate supervisor.

Travelling to campus:

As a reminder, if you must travel to campus, you’re responsible for determining when weather conditions make your travel unsafe.

Reporting snow or ice hazards on campus:

If you see a snow or ice hazard on campus, please contact Security at 905.721.3211, and provide the exact location and situation so it can be safely addressed. 

Helpful internal links:

• What happens when there are operational changes at the university due to an emergency
• Emergency Closure Policy
• Emergency Closure Procedures

Helpful external links:

• Durham Region Transit service alerts and detours
• Environment Canada weather forecasts for Ontario (select your town or city from the list)
• GO Transit service updates
• Ontario Ministry of Transportation winter driving information

Starting as early as Monday, January 12, Metrolinx will begin work on the Bowmanville Extension, which will extend Lakeshore East GO rail service east to Bowmanville. As part of this project, the Simcoe Street Bridge over the CPKC rail tracks will be demolished and replaced. This will require a full closure of Simcoe Street between Avenue Street and Albany Street for approximately two years.

During this time, vehicle traffic will be detoured via Stevenson Road, and pedestrians will be redirected to the Michael Starr Trail. GO Transit routes 52, 56, and 92, as well as Durham Region Transit routes 92 and N2, will also be detoured. Signage will be installed to assist drivers and pedestrians.

Construction will take place Monday to Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Those traveling near the work zone should expect noise from trucks and heavy equipment, lights directed toward the site, and vibration monitoring to ensure safety.

For more details and updates, visit metrolinx.com/bowmanville.

The main entrance of Charles Hall will be closed starting Wednesday, December 17, 2025. This will allow for the replacement of the current assisted lift at the entrance, with a self-operating elevator.

The new self-operating elevator will provide a more accessible experience for all building users.

During this time, a temporary entrance will be available and clearly marked with construction signage. Please follow posted directions when accessing the building. The main elevator inside Charles Hall will remain operational throughout the project.

The anticipated completion date for this upgrade is spring 2026. Your patience and understanding during this improvement project are greatly appreciated.

• View a diagram of the construction area.

Please direct inquiries to the Office of Campus Infrastructure and Sustainability.

Each winter in Ontario, weather conditions such as heavy snow, freezing rain and/or ice pellets can make basic travel difficult. During such situations, questions often arise about whether campus operations will change.

During most winter weather, the campus remains open and activities remain unaffected.

It’s important to keep in mind that different organizations—public and private—follow their own protocols and best practices. When they make the decision to cancel operations or to close, university operations and activities may remain scheduled as normal.

How the university communicates weather-related operational changes

If operational changes are implemented due to a winter storm warning or inclement conditions, the university will issue information as soon as possible using MyOntarioTech, the mobile app and the service disruptions page.

Depending on the situation, the university will also:

• Communicate via other means as needed, including messages sent to Ontario Tech student, faculty and staff email addresses, social media, and on-campus digital signage.

• Forward official university messages to regional newspapers and radio/television stations.

• Post full information about our campus status on our home page.

Travelling to campus

Monitor your email, the university’s mobile app, MyOntarioTech, and our website for late-evening and early-morning updates on severe winter weather days, or for class cancellations.

If you’re travelling to or from campus, allow for plenty of time, and travel with due caution and care, especially if you are in an area heavily affected by the weather. If you are in an area heavily affected by the weather and cannot get to campus, contact your supervisor or professor regarding your absence. 

Students, faculty and staff are reminded they are responsible for determining when weather conditions make their travel unsafe.

If you observe a snow or ice hazard on campus, report it to Campus Security at ext. 2400 or 905.721.3211, and provide the exact location and situation.

Helpful internal links:

• Emergency Closure Policy
• Emergency Closure Procedures
• Winter safety on campus

Helpful external links:

• Durham Region Transit service alerts and detours
• Environment Canada weather forecasts for Ontario
• GO Transit service updates
• Ontario Ministry of Transportation winter driving information