COVID-19

KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON—FINDING OPPORTUNITIES IN ADVERSITY

We didn’t plan on a global pandemic. But when the novel coronavirus hit Canada in early 2020, we responded immediately to keep our people safe. Following federal guidelines, we closed our campuses on March 23rd, but did not close the doors to learning. Laptops were immediately issued to staff, and along with our day-to-day operations, faculty and students quickly migrated online. It’s another— albeit surprising— way that our investment in digital technology is paying off.

Working closely with our partners, we also stepped in to provide resources and supplies to frontline workers. And, to further protect the community, we opened up campus housing in Timmins to shelter some of the area’s most vulnerable citizens. Meanwhile, in Moosonee, we kicked off an innovative plan with the Ontario government to transform part of the campus into a field hospital to ensure that non-COVID patients on the James Bay Coast have a safe place to seek treatment.

Moving forward, Northern’s size will continue to be an advantage in an ever-changing landscape. As a smaller institution in a sparsely-populated region, we will seamlessly adjust to the challenges of physical distancing as we continue to implement pandemic planning to reset the organization for the new normal.