COVID-19 Update – September 23, 2020
Student, community safety and wellbeing are our primary concerns. The university continues to be guided by the advice of Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington Public Health and provincial requirements in our response to the pandemic.
Due to ongoing physical distancing requirements, most courses and programs are currently being delivered remotely, please read the latest updates from the university.
We acknowledge the challenges and uncertainty this situation is causing. The Division of Student Affairs has a range of services to support your physical wellbeing, mental wellness and academic success. We encourage you to visit Student Awards for further information about financial aid.
You may have questions about how these circumstances could affect your lease with Community Housing. Many students continue to live in the university’s rental properties this year. Tenants are expected to continue to make rent payments on leased properties.
Please refer to the FAQs below for additional information.
Am I required to wear a mask or face-covering in my building?
Mayor Patterson’s emergency COVID-19 order (September 18, 2020), requires tenants to wear face-coverings, which cover the nose, mouth and chin, while in any “enclosed common area” of a multi-unit residential building. For Queen’s Community Housing, this would apply to John Orr Tower and the An Clachan complex. An enclosed common area includes any shared space, room, or facility, including but not limited to lobbies, laundry rooms, elevators and meeting rooms.
Failure to follow an emergency order could lead to a $2,000 fine under the City’s Administrative Monetary Penalties process.
Am I required to wear a face-covering or mask outside my building?
Mayor Bryan Paterson has issued an emergency order (September 18, 2020) requiring physical distancing on sidewalks, streets and boulevards within the area identified in the map below. This area includes several Community Housing properties.
Failure to follow an emergency order could lead to a $2,000 fine under the City’s Administrative Monetary Penalties process.
How many people can gather outside my unit?
Under the emergency order, groups can be no larger than 10 people.
Failure to follow an emergency order is enforceable by at $2,000 fine under the City’s Administrative Monetary Penalties process.
Can I cancel my lease?
If students no longer wish to rent from Community Housing or are unable to do so, they should follow the normal process to attempt to assign their lease to new tenants. Students are responsible for the rent until a new tenant has signed the required paperwork. Refer to the Community Housing website for details on the Assignment process. If you have any questions about your circumstances, please contact us at: community.housing@queensu.ca
Will there be any adjustment in my rent because of online educational delivery?
The university appreciates the financial pressures facing students and their families, however, rents will not be adjusted. The university has a number of financial aid options available. Please refer to the Student Awards website for current information. If you wish to discuss specific individual financial arrangements, please contact us at community.housing@queensu.ca for assistance.
My housemate no longer plans to live in Kingston. Can I replace them on the lease?
Yes. Please contact the Community Housing Office to make arrangements to change the tenants associated with the lease.
I don’t have the funds to pay rent because I can’t work. Can you provide options for rent payments?
If you choose to continue to have rights of access to the unit, you will still be required to pay rent. We will work with individual students on payment plans, if needed. Please contact us at community.housing@queensu.ca. The university also has a number of financial aid options available. Details are available on the Student Awards website.