Statement in response to violent incident at the University of Waterloo

As many of you are likely aware, an act of violence occurred during a class at the University of Waterloo (UWaterloo) yesterday. Our hearts go out to those directly and indirectly impacted and we stand with our colleagues at UWaterloo in condemning this act.

University campuses need to be places of learning where everyone feels safe to engage in open and critical thought. Support is available for students, faculty and staff.

While the perpetrator’s motives are not yet confirmed, the attack is believed to be hate-motivated, related to gender expression and gender identity. On the eve of Pride events in Victoria—a movement born out of rebellion against similar acts of violence against the 2SLGBTQIA+ community—we want to state unequivocally that the University of Victoria believes that everyone should have the freedom to live their lives authentically. We must care for one another, and the university is committed to making our campus safe and inclusive.

We encourage you to engage in any supports and resources that may be helpful.

Please take care of one another.

Yours sincerely,

Kevin Hall
President and Vice-Chancellor

Elizabeth Croft
VP Academic and Provost

Supports for students

Download this list of student resources and supports.

SupportConnect 24/7 Mental Health Resource for Students
SupportConnect is a confidential mental health support service available free of cost to UVic students. Through this resource, you can be connected with qualified counsellors, consultants, and life coaches anytime, anywhere.

Toll-free (calls from North America): 1-844-773-1427
International collect calls: 1-250-999-7621

Student Wellness
Student wellness supports are available through Student Wellness, including supports for 2SLGBTQIA+ students. The team will offer same day conversation space facilitated by the Clinical Counselling team June 29 & 30.

Supports and resources for faculty & staff

UVic’s Employee and Family Assistance Program offers confidential counselling and referral services. 

Additional mental health resources are available as well. 

Supports and resources for the 2SLGBTQIA+ UVic community

See Pride events and resources on the UVic campus and beyond. 

A number of other resources and support options are available for 2SLGBTQIA+ students.

Campus safety & security

If you have concerns for your physical safety or the safety of others at UVic, please don’t hesitate to contact campus security at 250-721-7599. In addition to in-the-moment security support, they offer a variety of safety programs, including SafeWalk and Campus Alone.

If you’d like to speak with UVic’s Manager of Personal Safety Allison Eddy about any specific concerns you have, she can be reached at psmanager@uvic.ca.

If you have an urgent safety concern, please call 9-1-1.