COVID-19 Update as of July 27, 2021
For new students landing on or after February 22, 2021:
The government of Canada has announced the following measures for travelers arriving in the country:
1. A new mandatory PCR (polymerase chain reaction) testing requirement upon arrival to Canadian airports.
2. Travelers will be required to quarantine for up to three days at a designated hotel while waiting for their COVID-19 test result. The hotel costs will be at the expense of the travelers, which could cost around $2000.00.
3. If the COVID-19 test result is negative, travelers will be allowed to conclude their 14-day quarantine at their preferred location.
In the interest of supporting our students, and in the case our students are required to pay mandatory hotel quarantine accommodation charges while awaiting the COVID-19 test result, Arbutus College will provide a grant of up to CAD$1500 or CAD$1000 to help with these additional hotel costs. The CAD$1500 grant will be available to students who are beginning their program with Arbutus College and who applied before May 30, 2021. Students who apply for enrollment after May 30, 2021 may be eligible to receive a grant of up to CAD$1000 to help with these additional hotel costs. This grant will be applied as equal instalments per month for the first three months of the student’s program tuition fees, of the actual amount of the hotel cost and up to the maximum of either CAD$1500 or CAD$1000.
Students will be required to submit a Mandatory Hotel Quarantine Support Application form along with hotel invoices, booking confirmation and proof of payments from the hotels where they took the mandatory quarantine. The grant application form must be submitted no later than one week after completing hotel quarantine and within the first month of the program start date.
If two students are sharing the same room in a designated hotel, then the grant will be just for the payment the students made for the hotel accommodation, it will not be granted per person. Arbutus College will provide the grant against the actual expense incurred for the hotel up to a maximum of CAD$1500 or CAD$1000 split between the two students.
Beginning July 5, 2021, at 11:59 p.m. EDT, fully vaccinated students who are permitted to enter Canada will not be subject to the federal requirement to quarantine or take a COVID-19 test on day-8. In addition, fully vaccinated students arriving by air will not be required to stay at a government-authorized hotel.
To be considered fully vaccinated, a traveller must have received the full series of a vaccine — or combination of vaccines — accepted by the Government of Canada at least 14 days prior to entering Canada. Currently, those vaccines are manufactured by Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca/COVISHIELD, and Janssen (Johnson & Johnson). Travellers can receive their vaccine in any country and must provide documentation supporting their vaccination in English, French or with a certified translation.
For these new measures to apply to them, fully vaccinated travellers must still meet all other mandatory requirements, including pre- and on-arrival testing. Continued testing will allow public health experts to keep monitoring positivity rates at the border, monitor for variants of concern, and make further adjustments to border measures as needed.
Fully vaccinated students must also be asymptomatic, have a paper or digital copy of their vaccination documentation, and provide COVID-19-related information electronically through ArriveCAN prior to arrival in Canada. They must still present a suitable quarantine plan, and be prepared to quarantine, in case it is determined at the border that they do not meet all the conditions required to be exempt from quarantine. As with all other exempt travellers, they will be required to follow public health measures in place, such as wearing a mask when in public, keep a copy of their vaccine and test results, as well as a list of close contacts for 14 days after entry to Canada.
For students who are not fully vaccinated, there are no changes to Canada’s current border measures.
For new students:
The Orientation for students starting in our August 30, 2021 intake will take place on August 30 on campus at 8:00 AM PDT. You will need to confirm your attendance to the on-campus orientation prior to August 30 by sending an email to studentadvisor@arbutuscollege.com. You will also need to complete a health declaration upon entering the campus. Information about how to access the orientation will be provided in due time. For those of you who are not in Canada yet, more information will follow on how to access this orientation.
For current and new students:
September term will start on August 30, 2021 on campus.
For Students NOT in Canada:
To facilitate the delivery of courses we will be using ZOOM as the online platform. This means that for example, if you are scheduled to attend a class on August 30, you should follow the link to the class that your instructor will send you, the class will take place on the same days and time as per your schedule.
For some of you, you may not be able to take your classes in real-time due to your home country time difference with Vancouver, in this case, your classes will be pre-recorded. This means that you can access your classes and work on your courses at the time that best suits you. However, your instructor will require you to do assignments and presentations that you will need to submit within a deadline. You will need to follow the classes as per your class schedule.
Here are the instructions to access your online course:
- Click on the link your instructor will send you
- You will be now looking at the recording of an actual class for your course.
- If you have difficulty accessing the recording, please get in touch with your instructor directly.
- Your instructor will provide you with instructions on how to complete your assignments and deadlines to submit them.
- Happy online learning!
Minimum technical requirements:
We recommend that you use a laptop with a good internet connection. Your laptop should have a good microphone and a video camera. You can access your class through your smartphone; make sure you are using Wi-Fi.
For Students in Canada:
Please note that if you are in Canada, you will be required to attend your class on campus.
We will continue to provide further announcements to all of you as the situation evolves. Please make sure to check your emails regularly.
Please contact us at customerservice@arbutuscollege.com or cell phone number 778-319-7320 regarding programs, intake dates and admission.
For tuition fees payment and payment, plans please contact us at myinfo@arbutuscollege.com
You can also contact us at studentadvisor@arbutuscollege.com or call us at 604-622-4446, 778-227-6496 or 778-227-6869 for any questions or concerns you may have about your courses.
For all students:
All students currently registered in a B.C. post-secondary institution have access to free, confidential counselling and community referral service, conveniently available 24/7 via app, by phone (1-877-857-3397) and online at www.Here2Talk.ca
For students, faculty and staff:
We would like to emphasize that if you are feeling ill, please stay home, monitor your symptoms and call your family doctor for further instructions, and if you are in Vancouver, call 811 or visit the BC COVID-19 Symptom Self-Assessment Tool website for further guidance (https://bc.thrive.health/).
Please also contact Arbutus College via our dedicated email covid-19@arbutuscollege.com regarding your health situation.
We will continue to provide further announcements to all of you as the situation evolves. Please make sure to check your emails regularly.
Arbutus College re-opening plan:
Arbutus College has started delivering its courses in a hybrid format since September 28, 2020. We are opening selected classes each term in a hybrid format. Details of these courses will become available in due time.
The school has begun the staged return of a very small number of employees to the workplace since Monday, June 1, 2020.
The opening of the Arbutus campus follows the recommendations of the provincial government as outlined in the BC Restart Plan and the COVID-19 in BC Go Forward Management Strategy, and comply with WorkSafe BC Health and Safety Guidelines (www.WorkSafeBC.com)
Physical Distancing:
- Staff will be encouraged to wear their mask when moving around campus
- Any visitors that must come to campus will make an appointment for a specific time and wear a mask when onsite
- Hallways are designated as “one-way” and marked with tape
- A plexiglass barrier has been installed at reception and enrolment services
Administrative Controls:
- Dishes and cutlery belonging to Arbutus may not be used
- At the moment all classrooms not currently used to deliver classes remain off-limits
- Any individual intending to be on campus must complete new OHS training prior to returning to campus
- The campus cleaning schedule will be adjusted with an increasing number of employees
- The staff washroom and photocopier will be supplied with sanitizing wipes
- Any individual on campus should be aware that Arbutus will continue to maintain the WorkSafeBC reporting requirements for workplace injuries or illness including COVID-19
Monitoring:
- Anyone planning to enter campus must complete a health declaration prior to entering
- Employees, visitors, and students will complete a health declaration daily or for each visit to campus
Finally, we urge you to continue practicing social distancing, continue to exercise good hygiene habits, wash your hands often with soap and water or hand sanitizer and avoid touching your face.