Planned electrical shutdowns to affect downtown campus – Sunday, March 3rd

The shutdown has been confirmed to proceed on March 3, 2024, as announced.

A major electrical shutdown scheduled to take place on the morning of Sunday, March 3, 2024 will affect multiple buildings on the downtown campus. The intervention will consist of a set of electrical shutdowns, starting at 6 a.m. and concluding by 12 p.m. (noon).  

The shutdowns are necessary interventions part of the renovation project at the downtown powerhouse to replace a natural gas boiler with two electrical boilers.  

Only emergency power will be available throughout the shutdowns. As a result, there will be: 

• No regular electricity (including no card access) 
• No heating and ventilation 
• No functioning elevators 

To reduce the inconveniences to building users, the following mitigation measures have been put in place:

• Heat will be increased overnight in the affected buildings to ensure a minimum building temperature is maintained.
• Electricians will be on site to ensure emergency power is on and to verify that all buildings systems are functioning as expected once the shutdown has been completed.

Opening hours library locations 

Please note that on Sunday, March 3: 

• Visitors to the Schulich Library of Physical Sciences, Life Sciences, and Engineering located in the Macdonald Stewart Library Building may experience service disruptions affecting electricity, heating, ventilation, and elevator access from 11:30 a.m. until noon. 
• Marvin Duchow Music Library located in the Elizabeth Wirth Music Building will open at noon. 

Alternate library locations like the Islamic Studies Library, McLennan-Redpath Library Complex, and Nahum Gelber Law Library will be open the morning of Sunday, March 3. Please consult the opening and service hours for more information. 

If you have questions or concerns about the shutdown, please contact your building director.