Unceded Coast Salish Territory/Vancouver, BC - The Alliance of BC Students is calling on Langara College to offer remote learning options to its students in the face of the highly transmissible Omicron variant of COVID-19.

“Due to record COVID-19 case numbers and hospitalizations, many Langara students don’t feel safe attending class in-person,” said ABCS Chairperson Aryanna Chartrand. “The Alliance is calling on Langara College to offer remote learning options to students like they did in the first three waves of the pandemic to empower students to make their own choice about attending classes in-person.”

With 819 people hospitalized with COVID-19, testing capacity at its limit, and restrictions on large groups in all other indoor settings, student safety cannot be guaranteed in classrooms. Return to campus plans pose a significant risk to all students, and an even greater risk to students who are immunocompromised, have immunocompromised family members, or are at higher risk of contracting COVID-19.

“Over 1,275 students have signed an online petition asking Langara to delay the return in-person classes," said Manpreet Kaur, Vice-President External of the Langara Students' Union. "They don’t feel safe returning to campus right now, and they shouldn’t be made to do so when online learning options exist and have been used successfully during this pandemic. Langara College needs to listen to its students about their safety and empower them with the choice to attend class from home.”

For more information please contact: chairperson@bcstudents.ca.