If your ultimate goal is a PGWP then this won't work as you need to study continuously, i.e. without unauthorized gaps of longer than 150 days. A gap can only be authorized for medical or other similarly compelling reasons.
Won't the current circumstances qualify for a temporary change, since so many peoples' entire lives and plans have been toppled completely?
In fact, for people already inside Canada, the latest rules allow even a complete break in studies for the semester - even then, PGWP will not get affected, if the student just gets a letter from the institution explaining that the break was due to Covid-realated reasons.
On the other hand, there are those of us with full and final approval since late 2019 for a master's program starting this fall. We still have to meet the 50% limit of studying within Canada, plus no breaks in studies, when we don't even know when we will be allowed to travel. Because that depends on when IRCC allows us to travel, which in turn depends on the global Covid scenario.
I have an approval before March 18, but it still seems I cannot travel since I have online classes for the fall (which is deemed non-essential by CBSA).
If Canada continues to take the same stance of online being non-essential, then I may not be able to reach the country even for the start of the January term. Assuming the January term is also online.
How will I meet the 50% PGWP eligibility then? I run the risk of doing more than 50% of the program at home, only due to Covid and due to IRCC regulations on travel.
That isn't my mistake but I'll still be penalized if IRCC doesn't make temporary changes to PGWP eligibility, just like they have done for international students within the country now.