A very different residence move-in week at northeastern colleges and universities

It is residence move-in week for hundreds of university and college students across northeastern Ontario.

But, of course, things look very different because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

At Canadore College in North Bay, the residences will be half empty, with about 325 students expected to move in.

Vice-president Shawn Chorney says he and his staff are missing the normal crush of nervous students and parents at this time of year. 

"It's normally a very exciting time of year," he says. 

"Having small groups come over a 10-hour a day period is nice from a personal contact perspective and a customer service perspective, but it's certainly going to be a very different year on many fronts."

Canadore has kept its residence open since the pandemic hit in March, with about 100 people, most of them international students, staying on campus through the summer. 

Chorney says Canadore will be operating its residences at a loss this year, but a full accounting of the financial hit from the pandemic won't come for a few more months. 

The first scheduled move-in for a resident at Sault College dorms is set for Wednesday morning at 7 a.m.

Director of student services, Matt Trainor, says they will welcome only 35 residents this year, instead of the normal 158.

He says that way students are able to be safely spaced apart and have their own private bathrooms. 

"Overall, there's be such a reduced number of students in the facility, they'll have lots of space. They'll still make friends, they'll still make contacts. In all the open spaces they'll have to wear masks," he says. 

Trainor says most orientation activities at Sault College will be online this year, including a webcast concert.