University of Waterloo introduces new emergency notification system following community criticism [Video]

The University of Waterloo says a review of its emergency notification system following a stabbing in a classroom has led to the implementation of a new platform.

On June 28, 2023, police responded on campus after a recently-graduated student went into a lecture class in Hagey Hall and stabbed three people, including the professor.

Staff and students were left wondering what was going on, many saying they had to turn to social media or other people in the absence of information provided by the university.

“It was mainly just like friends and word-of-mouth,” said second year student Mehul Sharma. “No one was even sure what happened exactly. And it was quite a failure on the university’s part.”

The University of Waterloo has an emergency notification app called WatSAFE, but in spite of the app being tested just hours before the stabbing, it wasn’t used in the immediate aftermath. Some students said the first alert came out …