With thousands of participants, officials, volunteers, and spectators descending on the UPEI campus for the PEI 2023 Canada Winter Games, the UPEI campus will come alive with the sounds of competition and the excitement of participants. However, we recognize that there will be disruption to the regular routines of members of the University community. We thank UPEI students and employees for their co-operation and contributions towards making the UPEI campus a centrepiece of this national event.

Planning has been underway for months and we have previously announced the following information.

Evening Classes on Thursday, February 16

Canada Games will begin moving in and setting up several classrooms on Thursday, February 16, at 4:00 pm. To accommodate this, some classes have been relocated. Please check your schedules to confirm the location of your class as it may have been moved.

UPEI will retain Lots B (Gated), D, F, and G (see section on Parking below). Lots dedicated for UPEI parking will have signs at each entrance. It is important that you do not park in parking lots that will be used by Canada Games as you run the risk of being towed at your expense. Please ensure that you park in a UPEI-retained lot if you are coming to the campus after 4:00 pm on Thursday evening or at any time during the Canada Games.

Classes and Labs on February 17 and March 6

At the November 25, 2022 meeting of the University Senate, it was approved that all UPEI classes and laboratories on Friday, February 17 and on Monday, March 6—with the exception of the Atlantic Veterinary College—will be delivered remotely to allow for event set-up and tear-down transitions. Instructors may request an exception from their dean if their classes and/or laboratories need to remain on campus during these two days.

Winter Semester Break

Because of the influx of Canada Games participants on the University campus, the winter semester break has been extended to two weeks and will take place from February 20 (Islander Day) to March 3.

Regular Operations 

The University will remain open for regular operations throughout the Canada Games. However, in an effort to lessen traffic congestion, employees will be supported to work from home from Friday, February 17 to Monday, March 6. Employees must consult with and receive approval from their supervisor for any such work-from-home arrangements. Employees who provide frontline services or are unable to sustain their work functions remotely are required to attend work in person and in accordance with the schedule assigned by their supervisor.

Campus Spaces

UPEI is home to the Athletes Village which will house 3,600 participants (athletes, coaches, managers, technical staff) in the new residence building. Not only is it serving as accommodations, but the University will also serve as the main dining hall, transportation hub, and polyclinic, as well as athlete entertainment spaces, quiet lounges, info desks, and other activations for the 18 days of competition.

Canada Games will occupy classrooms, meeting rooms, and lounges in the following academic buildings: Faculty of Sustainable Design Engineering (FSDE), Kelley Memorial Building (KMB), Health Sciences Building (HSB), K.C. Irving Chemistry Centre (ICC), Don and Marion MacDougall Hall (MCDH), SDU Main Building (SDMB), and the W.A. Murphy Student Centre. Athletes will also have shared access to Robertson Library and the Chaplaincy Centre.

Parking

It is anticipated that there will be traffic congestion at times and parking will be in high demand. We ask that, wherever possible, members of our campus try to use public transportation or avoid parking on campus. Canada Games will have exclusive parking in parking lots A, B (General), C, and E. Please do not use these lots effective Thursday, February 16, after 4 pm through to Monday, March 6, as you run the risk of being towed at your expense.

UPEI will retain parking lots B (gated), D, F, and G. Lots dedicated for UPEI parking will have signs at each entrance. It is very important that you display your UPEI parking permit—without it you run the risk of being towed at your expense.  

UPEI Campus Map

We recognize that some of you will be displaced from your regular parking areas, and to make it easier for everyone, there will not be assigned parking lots during this period. That is, you can park in any of the UPEI lots if you display your UPEI parking permit. Metered parking will not change.

Food Services 

The AVC Cafeteria will be open Monday–Friday from 11:30 am–1:00 pm for all campus members while Tim Horton’s in the W.A. Murphy Student Centre will be open Monday–Sunday from 8:00 am–8:00 pm. The Wanda Wyatt Dining Hall will be used exclusively by the Canada Games. Alternate arrangements have been made for students in residence. Samuel’s Café in the Robertson Library and the Micromarket in the Faculty of Sustainable Design Engineering building will be closed during the Canada Games.

UPEI Chi-Wan Young Sports Centre

The UPEI Chi-Wan Young Sports Centre is proud to host the 2023 Canada Winter Games Wheelchair Basketball and Badminton events from February 18 to March 5.  

The Canada Games Host Committee has agreed to allow UPEI students with active memberships to access the UPEI Fitness Centre only from 7:00 am to 10:00 pm during the Canada Games. There will be NO access to locker rooms, squash courts, gymnasium, or indoor track.  

IMPORTANT: Students MUST access the facility through the Bell Aliant Centre to enter the UPEI Fitness Centre and show their UPEI Campus ID card to security to gain access. No one will be admitted without their card.

Community, staff, and faculty members will not have access to the Sports Centre during Canada Games. Members should email jalane@upei.ca or drop by the Panther Central desk to request an extension to their membership. 

The UPEI indoor track and general locker rooms will be closed to users on Friday, February 17, starting at 11:00 am, until Monday, March 6, when regular hours will resume. All Sports Centre members will have access to live virtual classes during this time period. For class schedule and registration information, please visit recreation.upei.ca and click on Virtual Fitness Programming icon, then Live Virtual Fitness Classes.

NOTE: On Friday, February 17, Canada Games will be setting up in the Sports Centre. You will still have access to the Fitness Centre, but please be aware the building will be very busy.