Vanier College has discovered mould in one of its buildings. The problem was found during regular maintenance in November.
The mould was discovered in the college's "N" Building, inside a 25-year-old air duct.
College Director-General Gilbert Heroux says the college hired a private company to determine if mould was affecting air quality.
Results showed spore levels higher than normal but still within safety standards.
But Heroux says the school is taking no chances.
"For sure it's not something to be taken lightly. And we're looking at replacing the ventilation system so that we get rid of the problem," he says. "However serious the situation may or may not be it is an issue for us.
Mould expert Dr. Adrian Tsang notes that we encounter mould in our everyday lives more than we think.
"For the people whose immune system is already compromised it can be a major problem," says Tsang. "The spores get into the lungs and then start to go and then you have a major issue."
Mould has been a problem for several schools this past year, including St. Gerard Elementary, in Villeray. It had to be closed last week because of severe mould problems.
Luckily for Vanier, officials there consider that they found the problem before it got out of hand.
Students and faculty who feel they are at risk have been told they can move from the "N" Building to another one if advised to so by their doctor. So far, school officials have not received any such requests.
CTV Montreal spoke to students who were not even aware that a problem existed. Other students were not concerned by new of the mould.
"I've been in the "N' Building but I've seen nothing different from last semester," said one student.
"If there was something major, I'm sure they'd close it down and do further investigation and everything. So I'm sure it's fine," said another student.
Vanier College will continue to test the air quality in the "N" Building twice a week to ensure conditions remain safe for students and faculty. In the meantime, classes will continue as usual.
