THUNDER BAY — Ten schools operated by the Conseil scolaire de district catholique des Aurores boréales were closed Wednesday because of a threat.
A spokesperson for the board said a threatening message was received overnight, and that some other Francophone boards in Northern Ontario received a similar message.
Schools affected by the closure include Franco-Supérieur and ÉSC de La Vérendrye in Thunder Bay and eight other schools in smaller communities across the district.
Buses that brought students to class Wednesday morning returned to schools to take them back to their pickup points.
Student Transportation Services of Thunder Bay reported that under instructions from Conseil scolaire du Grand Nord, buses were also sent back to École publique de Thunder Bay on Victoria Avenue to return students home.
Ontario Provincial Police issued a statement late Wednesday morning from OPP headquarters in Orillia confirming they are investigating multiple bomb threats targeting schools at various boards in both Northwestern and Northeastern Ontario.
They said the threats also demanded payment.
In addition to local officers, the OPP cyber investigation team is involved in the case.
The statement said no evidence of actual devices in schools has been uncovered.
OPP asked any member of the public with information about the incident to contact them at 1-888-310-1122, or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477.
NOTE: This story has been updated with additional information provided by OPP
