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The downtown campus continues to reopen gradually as planned, with our priority work focused on ensuring the continuity of academic activities.

We understand that this phased reopening is causing complications for some, and we are working closely with Faculties and Units to ease these impacts. While these measures are necessary for the time being, we do not envision them to be long-lasting. Our goal is to stabilize our environment during this relatively quiet summer period, with the aim of reopening progressively in the coming weeks and returning to a fully open campus by the fall. Present limitations on access are providing the space needed to allow the small group of individuals who have been working diligently over the last weeks and months on campus safety and climate to regroup and plan for the months ahead. We ask for and deeply appreciate your collaboration and understanding during this challenging period.

Beginning next Monday, you will see that we are easing restrictions on lower campus, notably by increasing access points and by ensuring that all students have access to the affected libraries.

What follows is detailed access information for July 20-26:

Access to lower campus

A. ACCESS POINTS (ENTRY/EXIT) TO LOWER CAMPUS

Weekend: Saturday, July 20 and Sunday, July 21

ƽÌØÎå²»ÖÐ ID is required to access lower campus.

There are two access points:

• McTavish – pedestrians, cyclists
• Milton – motorized vehicles

Entry access from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; exit access from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Workweek: Monday, July 22 to Friday July 26, inclusive

ƽÌØÎå²»ÖÐ ID is required to access lower campus

There will now be three access points:

• McTavish Entrance – pedestrians, cyclists
• Milton Gates – pedestrians, cyclists, motorized vehicles
• Roddick Gates – pedestrians, cyclists

Entry access from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; exit access from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

B. ACCESS TO BUILDINGS SURROUNDING LOWER CAMPUS

The affected buildings on lower campus are:

• Burnside Hall
• Dawson Hall
• Ferrier
• Frank Dawson Adams
• James Administration
• Leacock
• Macdonald Engineering
• Macdonald Harrington
• McCall MacBain Arts
• McConnell Engineering
• Morrice Hall
• Otto Maass
• Pulp & Paper
• Redpath Hall
• Redpath Museum

See section C, below, for information on libraries.

Weekend: Saturday July 20 and Sunday –July 21

Buildings listed above are on card access from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Workweek: Monday July 22 to Friday July 26, inclusive

Buildings listed above are on card access from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

For buildings on card access:

• Building users who have permission can swipe with ƽÌØÎå²»ÖÐ ID to enter.
• Graduate students and research assistance needing building access can request it through their Chair or Director.

C. ACCESS TO LIBRARIES ON LOWER CAMPUS

July 20-21

All libraries are closed.

July 22-26

The following libraries on lower campus are open to all students with a ƽÌØÎå²»ÖÐ ID card:

• McLennan-Redpath Library Complex (Humanities and Social Sciences Library, Rare Books and Special Collections, and ƽÌØÎå²»ÖÐ Archives): Open 8 a.m.-6 p.m.
• Islamic Studies Library (in Morrice Hall): Open 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
• Schulich Library of Physical Sciences, Life Sciences, and Engineering: Open 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

D. CLASSES IN BUILDINGS ON LOWER CAMPUS

July 20-26

Classes are relocated – see Minerva class schedule for locations.

Lower campus is gradually reopening; detailed information for the period of Tuesday, July 16 to Friday, July 19, is available below.

We are proceeding with caution, in light of ongoing risks of additional property damage or new occupations. As well, work to decontaminate the lower field was delayed by wet conditions and therefore is only expected to be completed by this Tuesday.

We understand that the dismantlement and restricted access to some buildings have been disruptive for many of you; however, the steps taken have been necessary.

Lower campus and surrounding buildings

For those who need to access the buildings surrounding lower campus between Tuesday, July 16 and Friday, July 19, please note:

1) Buildings surrounding lower campus are on card access between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Starting 8 a.m. on Tuesday, July 16, buildings that had been closed will change to card access. Card access means that members of the community who normally can use their ƽÌØÎå²»ÖÐ ID to access buildings during quiet hours can enter.

The buildings on card access are: Burnside Hall, Dawson Hall, Ferrier, Frank Dawson Adams, James Administration, Leacock, Macdonald Engineering, Macdonald Harrington, McCall MacBain Arts, McConnell Engineering, McLennan Library, Morrice Hall, Otto Maass, Pulp & Paper, Redpath Hall, Redpath Library, Redpath Museum, Schulich Library.

As is usual practice when buildings are on card access, we ask that you do not let others into the building but invite them to swipe their ƽÌØÎå²»ÖÐ ID after you have entered.

Please note that students needing in-person services from Service Point should contact those offices directly.

2) Lower campus is accessible via two access points, which should be used for entry and exit between 8 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.

• Members of the community arriving on foot or bicycle must access lower campus through the McTavish Gates, between Morrice and Redpath Halls off McTavish Street.
• Vehicular access is through the Milton Gates at University and Milton.

As the campus remains closed to the general public, security personnel will check your ƽÌØÎå²»ÖÐ ID before allowing access so please ensure that you have your ƽÌØÎå²»ÖÐ ID card. You must exit the buildings and campus by 6 p.m. through one of these two access points.

The Roddick Gates remain closed for the moment.

3) In-person classes normally held in buildings on card access will be moved to other locations on the downtown campus.

Enrolment Services staff has contacted departments who have in-person classes scheduled in the buildings listed above (section A.1) to provide the new location. The new location is also viewable in the Minerva class schedule.

4) Staff should return to campus as per their normal working routines.

Staff who are working in the buildings listed above (section A.1) should return to their normal work practices, including working in person as they normally would.

5) Please consult the Library website for information on user services.

The McLennan-Redpath Library Complex, Schulich Library of Physical Sciences, Life Sciences and Engineering and the Islamic Studies Library are closed to users. Other libraries on campus are open. The ƽÌØÎå²»ÖÐ Libraries website will post information shortly about user services, including book pick up.

Open buildings

All other downtown buildings, including daycares, will be open on their regular schedules. Staff in those open buildings should return to their normal work practices, including working in person as they normally would.

We remain grateful for your continued patience and understanding during this challenging period.

We continue to work toward a safe and gradual return to regular activities on the downtown campus. Again, as this process will take some time, we remain grateful for your continued patience and understanding during this challenging period.

To help ensure the safety of our community, buildings closed today, July 12, will remain closed through at least the evening of Monday, July 15.

Closed buildings

The following buildings remain closed: Burnside Hall, Dawson Hall, Ferrier, Frank Dawson Adams, James Administration, Leacock, Macdonald Engineering, Macdonald Harrington, McCall MacBain Arts, McConnell Engineering, McLennan Library, Morrice Hall, Otto Maass, Pulp & Paper, Redpath Hall, Redpath Library, Redpath Museum, Schulich Library.

This means:

Students:

• Those who would normally access these buildings must stay home.
• Classes typically held in these buildings will move online. We ask instructors to please notify their students immediately.

Faculty and staff:

• Those who can perform their duties remotely must work from home.
• Those who cannot perform their duties remotely must stay home and will be paid as usual.
• If there is urgent reason for you to be present on campus (e.g. animals requiring immediate care, research that will be lost without immediate intervention, etc.), contact your supervisor.

Open buildings

Other downtown buildings, including daycares, will be open on their regular schedules. Nonetheless, we ask staff in these buildings who can perform their duties remotely to work from home.

We expect to send our next update on Monday, July 15.

Following the dismantlement of the lower field encampment, we are working toward a safe and gradual return to usual activities on the downtown campus. As this process will take some time, we thank you for your patience and understanding.

To help ensure the continued safety of our community, buildings closed today will remain closed Friday, July 12.

Closed buildings

The following buildings remain closed: Burnside Hall, Dawson Hall, Ferrier, Frank Dawson Adams, James Administration, Leacock, Macdonald Engineering, Macdonald Harrington, McCall MacBain Arts, McConnell Engineering, McLennan Library, Morrice Hall, Otto Maass, Pulp & Paper, Redpath Hall, Redpath Library, Redpath Museum, Schulich Library.

This means:

Students:

• Those who would normally access these buildings must stay home.
• Classes typically held in these buildings will move online. We ask instructors to please notify their students immediately.

Faculty and staff:

• Those who can perform their duties remotely must work from home.
• Those who cannot perform their duties remotely must stay home and will be paid as usual.
• If you absolutely must come to campus, contact your supervisor.

Open buildings

Other downtown buildings, including daycares, will be open.

Nonetheless, we ask staff who can perform their duties remotely to work from home tomorrow.

The encampment has been dismantled.

Due to current weather conditions, the clean-up at the site will continue tomorrow, as will the excavation and replacement of contaminated soil on the site.

To help ensure the continued safety of our community, part of the downtown campus will remain closed tomorrow.

Closed buildings

The following buildings remain closed tomorrow:

• Burnside Hall
• Dawson Hall
• Ferrier
• Frank Dawson Adams
• James Administration
• Leacock
• Macdonald Engineering
• Macdonald Harrington
• McCall MacBain Arts
• McConnell Engineering
• McLennan Library
• Morrice Hall
• Otto Maass
• Pulp & Paper
• Redpath Hall
• Redpath Library
• Redpath Museum
• Schulich Library

This means:

Students:

• Those who would normally access these buildings must stay home.
• Classes typically held in these buildings will move online. We ask instructors to please notify their students immediately.

Faculty and staff:

• Those who can perform their duties remotely must work from home.
• Those who cannot perform their duties remotely must stay home and will be paid as usual.
• If you absolutely must come to campus, contact your supervisor.

Open buildings

All other downtown buildings, including daycares, will be open tomorrow.

Nonetheless, we ask staff who can perform their duties remotely to work from home tomorrow.

The dismantlement of the encampment is proceeding as planned, and largely complete.

Due to the presence of human waste, a rat infestation, discarded syringes, a large amount of rotting food and garbage, and other potentially dangerous and unsanitary conditions within the site, it was necessary to use heavy machinery to remove parts of the camp for the safety of all involved.

For the same reasons, it will be necessary to excavate and replace a layer of contaminated soil on the site.

The downtown campus (including all ƽÌØÎå²»ÖÐ buildings, outdoor areas, rented properties, etc.) remains closed today and this evening.

Further updates will be provided as information becomes available.

Between 4:46 and 7:42 a.m., individuals in the encampment were advised three times that they would be escorted off campus if they did not leave of their own accord. Of the approximately 35 people at the site, almost all have chosen to leave. Individuals were given the opportunity to remove their personal belongings as they departed.

The dismantlement process is currently proceeding peacefully. A careful search of the site is underway, to ensure that no other individuals or dangerous materials remain. Steel fencing encircling the site will now be removed. Montreal police are present to ensure the safety of all.

The Downtown Campus remains closed for the day.

Further updates will follow.

As members of the ƽÌØÎå²»ÖÐ community are aware, the University has been subject to ongoing and escalating acts of violence and vandalism associated with the encampment, up to and including criminal acts on campus last weekend.

The encampment is the site of profound health and safety risks that continue to grow in scope and severity. To protect the security of the ƽÌØÎå²»ÖÐ community and the integrity of our property, the encampment on the lower field of the downtown campus is being dismantled. Security personnel and Montreal police (SPVM) are on site.

As a result, ƽÌØÎå²»ÖÐ’s downtown campus is closed today, July 10, 2024. Everyone should stay away from the downtown campus. All events, summer programs and activities are cancelled for today.

We regret the considerable inconvenience that this necessary step will cause for many members of our community.

Please read the following information carefully:

• Students should not come to the downtown campus.
  • Classes typically held on the downtown campus will move online for today. We ask instructors to please notify their students immediately.
  • Libraries are closed.
• Faculty and staff who work on the downtown campus should stay home
  • Staff who can perform their duties remotely should work from home.
  • Staff who cannot perform their duties remotely should stay home and will be paid as usual.
  • We will be in contact with supervisors whose staff may need to be on campus for essential services. If you do not hear from your supervisor, please do not come to campus.
• Daycares on campus are closed.
• The campus is closed to the public.

Again, we regret the disruption caused by this operation. We will continue to update this page as new information becomes available.