Campus Information

CapU has a series of safety plans, policies and guidelines that align with the BC Centre for Disease Control's guidance for Post-Secondary. CapU also continues to follow current health guidelines and implement safety precautions recommended by public health and WorkSafeBC.

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This is CapU's Communicable Disease Prevention Exposure Control Plan. For more information, visit the Campus Safety webpage.

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CapU continues to follow current health guidelines and implement safety precautions as outlined in our own safety plans, as recommended by public health and WorkSafeBC.

To ensure the continued health & safety of the University community, CapU is doing the following: 

1. Maintaining up-to-date campus communicable disease safety plans.
2. Daily health checks are a personal responsibility. Please continue to monitor your health and stay home if you feel unwell.  
3. Mask-wearing is optional for all students, employees and visitors present on our main campus, kálax-ay/Sunshine Coast campus, CapU Lonsdale, student housing and other CapU learning locations, including classrooms, common areas and office spaces where the public is being served. Please be respectful of individuals’ personal choices about masks. 
4. Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands. The University is also providing appropriate hand-cleaning facilities and alternatives like alcohol hand rubs
5. Cleaning and sanitization continues to be a priority in all common and high-trafficked areas and touch points. Hand-sanitization stations are provided at all entrances/exits to buildings and elevators. Cleaning supplies are provided so you can wipe down your space before you leave communal areas.
6. Managing the safe flow of pedestrian traffic within buildings and confined areas.
7. Maintaining the University’s building ventilation systems to the highest standards for air circulation.

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Yes. CapU has taken into account different scenarios, from individual illness to regional or provincial-wide community spikes that will require the University to follow the direction of the Provincial Health Officer. We encourage students and employees to remain flexible and be prepared to change formats, if required, to maintain community safety and operational needs.

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Starting November 17, 2022, people who have COVID-19 are no longer required to self-isolate. However, if you feel sick or experience any COVID-19 symptoms, it's still important for you to stay home and not attend University activities in person to reduce any potential spread of illness to others.

The University is following the guidance and direction of the Provincial Health Officer and its own Exposure Control Plan for Communicable Diseases to provide guidance specifically for our campus community. 

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Students: Counselling and mental health services are available. Please call 604-984-1744 or email counselling@capilanou.ca to make an appointment.

Additionally, Here2Talk provides confidential counselling services to Canadian and international post-secondary students in B.C. 24 hours a day via app, phone and online, and there is a 24-hour BC Crisis Centre line 604 872 3311.

BC Centre for Disease Control also provides helpful resources on mental health and well-being during COVID-19.

Employees: If you or a family member is struggling at this time, Homewood Health and its Employee & Family Assistance Program are available to you and your immediate family members.

BCcampus offers Capacity to Connect—an open, adaptable digital training resource that provides basic mental health and wellness knowledge for post-secondary faculty and staff to support students in distress.

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Mask-wearing is a personal choice for all students, employees and visitors present on our main campus, kálax-ay/Sunshine Coast campus, CapU Lonsdale, student housing and other CapU learning locations, including classrooms, common areas and office spaces where the public is being served.

While masks are no longer required or mandated, we recognize that we a support everyone’s choice to wear a mask, if they feel more comfortable doing so.

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No. Physical distancing is not required in post-secondary settings. However, we recommend that you continue to be mindful of your personal space along with following steps of getting vaccinated, washing your hands on a regular basis and staying home when feeling unwell. The Office of Health & Safety is available for consultation for specific questions. Email safety@capilanou.ca for assistance.

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Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems in buildings on campus follow guidelines from the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). In response to COVID-19, ASHRAE recommends HVAC system operational changes to help prevent the spread of this disease:

• Filtration: Upgrade equipment filters to MERV-13
• Ventilation: Fresh air intake increase—more outdoor air is introduced to the space while the returning air is discharged outside
• Post Occupancy Flush: End of day building purge—once the campus is empty, the HVAC system will fully purge the building with fresh air

Campus buildings, on average, can exchange the air in a room every 20 minutes or less, depending on the use of the room. Moving forward, we will be regularly checking with ASHRAE for operational updates to ensure that we are doing all we can to help prevent the spread of this disease.

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The Office of Health & Safety is available for consultation for specific classroom and activity questions. Email safety@capilanou.ca for assistance.

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The best protection we have against COVID-19 and influenza is the widely available, safe and highly effective vaccines. Getting vaccinated and boostered supports the CapU community in building a safe and healthy learning and working environment. Learn more at ImmunizeBC

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According to the BC Centre for Disease Control, the vaccines offered in B.C. are expected to protect people against COVID-19. Getting vaccinated helps decrease the risk of having severe COVID-19 disease, hospitalization and death; and prevents new variants from arising and helps control the spread of COVID-19. You can learn more at Immunize BC.

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Vaccination is a personal health decision and it is an individual’s right to keep private their medical information.  Please be considerate when discussing vaccination with your classmates, teams and colleagues, and do not ask anyone whether or not they have been vaccinated. It’s fine to share your own information if you’re comfortable doing so, but consider those around you and how others may feel when these conversations take place.

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Employees are eligible to take to up to three (3) hours of paid leave to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Amendments to the Employment Standards Act provide this support for both doses of the vaccine. If your work schedule requires time off in order to get vaccinated, please work directly with your supervisor, manager, director or dean to make arrangements. Employees do not need to enter this leave into PurelyHR.

Please note, this leave is available for employees to be personally vaccinated, however, it does not extend to employees accompanying or assisting others to be vaccinated. Under this circumstance, employees can request family responsibility leave or vacation.

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Yes, all adult students will be eligible to receive the vaccine, including international students, through the B.C. immunization program. While not mandatory, COVID-19 vaccines are available to all adults living, working or studying in B.C. during the pandemic. You do not need a Personal Health Number, B.C. Services Card or to enrolled in B.C.’s Medical Services Plan to get the vaccine. Learn more at ImmunizeBC

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No. In addition to being careful not to introduce prevention measures that are different from those issued by the Provincial Health Officer, there are equity, privacy, human rights, employment law and operational practicality considerations that are informing CapU’s decisions regarding vaccines. CapU does, however, strongly encourage its students and employees to get vaccinated. Vaccines are the best way to protect against COVID-19. They protect you and everyone around you. The more people in a community who are immunized against COVID-19, the harder it is for the virus to spread. You can learn more at Immunize BC.

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No. There is no requirement for vaccinations for students living in post-secondary housing. CapU Student Housing has procedures put in place to promote a healthy living environment for students. Please ensure you read the COVID-19 guidelines and follow all Rights and Responsibilities.

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We strongly encourage everyone in our University community to be vaccinated. Anyone living, working and studying in B.C. is eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine at no cost and without a B.C. health care number. Vaccines are the best way to protect against severe COVID-19 illness, hospitalization and death. They protect you and everyone around you. The more people in our community who are immunized against COVID-19, the harder it is for the virus to spread. Learn more at ImmunizeBC.

If you have any more questions about vaccinations, traveling to Canada or admissions, please contact Capilano University’s Wong and Trainor Centre for International Experience.

• For questions about travelling to Canada, email cie@capilanou.ca
• For questions about admissions, email inted@capilanou.ca

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