20.1°C Vancouver

Dec 29, 2021 8:05 PM - The Canadian Press

B.C. Teachers Federation wants delay of school restart as COVID-19 cases surge

Share On
b-c-teachers-federation-wants-delay-of-school-restart-as-covid-19-cases-surge
An empty classroom is pictured at Eric Hamber Secondary school in Vancouver, B.C. Monday, March 23, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

The British Columbia Teachers Federation wants the province to delay the start of the winter term in public schools across B.C. as cases of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 mount.

Several social media messages posted by the BCTF and retweeted by union president Teri Mooring say provincial and district officials ``need to do much more'' if they intend to keep schools open in January.

The messages list eight expectations to safely reopen schools.

Recommendations include: free N-95 masks and rapid tests in all schools; staggered class, recess and lunch times; and, ramped up testing and vaccinations during the winter break.

The teachers federation says the highly transmissible Omicron variant has ``changed the pandemic'' and it says school safety measures must change, too.

The union says thousands of students are still unvaccinated and many teachers and support staff haven't received vaccine booster shots, so school districts and the B.C. government must ``step up'' to protect everyone in the public school system.

Latest news

BCSep 02, 2025

BC RCMP notifies IIO of incident in Burnaby

The BC RCMP has notified the Independent Investigations Office of British Columbia (IIO BC) of an incident in Burnaby which has resulted in one person being taken to hospital after an officer involved shooting. On Monday, September 1, 2025, at approximately 2:51 p.m. Burnaby RCMP received a call regarding a domestic dispute at a residence in the 4300 block of Dundas Street. When the responding officer arrived, they located a suspect with an edged weapon. An interaction occurred and shots were fired by police. The victim was taken to hospital with gunshot wounds. They are in serious condition.
BCSep 02, 2025

Suspect arrested in Cranberry area

In the early morning of September 2, 2025, Powell River RCMP responded to an assault in progress on Irvine St. The male suspect fled on foot and a search involving Powell River RCMP, the Emergency Response Team, Police Dog Services and Air Services was initiated. Mowat Bay access was temporarily restricted to the public and the area was contained. The suspect was located in the area and he was arrested and taken into custody and will be held to appear in front of a Judge. There is no risk to public safety. All public areas in Cranberry are now open.
ministers-statement-about-returning-to-school
BCSep 02, 2025

Creating a safe, inclusive and welcoming school environment remains a top priority, says Lisa Beare

Lisa Beare, Minister of Education and Child Care, has issued the following statement about returning to learning: “While I’m sure many students wish summer could be just a little longer, I am thrilled to welcome students and staff to the start of another school year. It is always so exciting on the first day as students and staff walk through the school doors and fill the hallways with excitement, laughter and anticipation – ready to take on the new learning journey in the year ahead. “As minister of education and child care, I’m proud to support the people who make schools strong: e
federal-ndp-launches-leadership-race
CanadaSep 02, 2025

Federal NDP launches leadership race

The federal NDP today officially launched the race to find its next leader. In a news release, the party says there has been strong interest in the contest since Aug. 20, when the application packages were made available. Former leader Jagmeet Singh resigned after he and the party suffered a stunning defeat in April's federal election. Registered party members will vote on Singh's permanent successor at a national convention in March using a ranked ballot, which allows delegates to list candidates in their preferred order. Anyone running for the leadership must obtain at least 10 per cent of t
peter-navarro-objects-to-prime-minister-modis-closeness-to-russian-and-chinese-leaders
WorldSep 02, 2025

Peter Navarro objects to Prime Minister Modi's closeness to Russian and Chinese leaders

US President Donald Trump's trade advisor Peter Navarro has objected to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's closeness to Russian and Chinese leaders. He said that we hope they will understand that they should be with us instead of Russia. Navarro made this comment while accusing India of making profits through oil purchases from Russia, meanwhile Treasury Secretary Scott Besant called the SCO meeting held in China a show. However, he said that the US and India are strong democracies and can resolve differences. It is noteworthy that during the SCO meeting held in China on Monday, Indian Prime Mi

Related News