As new cases of COVID-19 continue to rise in Toronto, Ryerson University has announced that the majority of classes will remain online for the winter 2021 semester. 

In a letter published on the university's website Friday morning, Ryerson President Mohamed Lachemi said the upcoming winter 2021 semester will mostly remain unchanged with the majority of courses to be offered virtually.

"While an eventual return to campus is something the university continues to actively plan for, our upcoming winter 2021 semester will largely remain unchanged," Lachemi said. 

"The majority of course offerings will be offered virtually, with in-person, on campus activities as permitted by government guidelines."

A message from President Lachemi about the upcoming winter term. https://t.co/oHsYfNtfR8

— Ryerson University (@RyersonU) September 18, 2020

He said small, in-person group activities will continue to be offered for certain academic programs, and safe access to campus for labs and other physical resources will be prioritized for students who require them to graduate.

Staff and faculty will also be expected to continue working remotely unless their position requires them to work on campus.

Lachemi said the university continues to monitor the situation in Toronto, including the new gathering limits announced by Premier Ford on Sept. 17, and they'll keep employees informed of any changes to the current model.  

Ryerson was the first university in Toronto to announce that courses for the fall semester would be mostly online back in May, so it's no surprise they've taken the initiative to announce the same plan for the winter. 

The school joins York University, which announced in mid-August that "the same fundamental approach to course delivery in the fall will also apply for the Winter 2021 term."

"I understand that for many of you, this may be disappointing news. A return to campus is something we all look forward to, but we all must play our part in protecting our collective health and well-being," said Lachemi. 

"A continued remote learning environment will limit the spread of COVID-19, and I thank all of you for your commitment to this current way of living and learning."