Even though we were warned, Toronto has, in many ways, been immobilized by the massive snowstorm that smothered the city in nearly two dozen centimetres of the white stuff from Wednesday afternoon into Thursday morning.
As residents brave knee-deep snowdrifts and navigate treacherous roads and sidewalks, some operations, such as schools and transit, have been disrupted.
City Hall has declared a “Major Snowstorm Condition” and “Significant Weather Event” as of 10 p.m. last night, with winter maintenance crews firing on all cylinders.
But, leaders warn, “it may take longer than usual to clear city roads, sidewalks and bicycle lanes. Because of this, the City will be exempt from Provincial service levels for winter maintenance, as per provincial regulations.”
Here are all of the things that have been impacted so far as the flakes continue to fall in some areas:
Flight cancellations and transit closures
A slew of flights out of both Toronto Pearson International Airport and Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport have been delayed or cancelled since Wednesday evening — the larger hub called it the heaviest snowfall of the season thus far, with another 2 to 5 cm forecasted for this morning — while TTC buses are skipping a whopping 56 stops due to the inclement conditions.
At the airport, 22 cm of snow fell as of 6:30 a.m. This is the heaviest snowfall of the season, taking the record from the 15 cm of snow we saw on Feb. 8.
Our surface maintenance… pic.twitter.com/kUDFq6ByUm
— Toronto Pearson (@TorontoPearson) February 13, 2025
The transit agency alerted commuters to the potential interruption on Wednesday, writing that staff were “taking proactive measures to keep customers and employees safe while delivering as much reliable service as possible, with a winter storm system to produce heavy snow across the city.”
Shortly after 8 a.m. today, it posted the list of stops were officially out of service and will be “until further notice,” though it has encouraged drivers to “stay off the roads and take transit to get around the city.”
It appears that some streetcars have also derailed or become jammed in the accumulation.
Many GO train routes are operating on amended schedules to “allow trains to run as smoothly as possible while keeping them clear of snow and ice build-up,” including its Milton, Kitchener, Stouffville and Lakeshore West lines.
A spate of GO busses are also facing delays and cancellations. Riders should check real-time service updates online.
School closures
Multiple school districts and post-secondary institutions across the GTA have also called off classes and/or closed campuses completely.
Local colleges such as Centennial, George Brown and Humber have shut their doors, while Seneca has moved its lectures online for the day.
York University remains on weather watch, and though the University of Toronto’s downtown campus remains open, its Mississauga outpost (UTM) has shut down for the day. Classes at its Scarborough satellite (UTSC), including online sessions, are cancelled until noon, as are all campus events.
The Toronto District School Board and Toronto Catholic District School Board are among those who have deemed Thursday a full-on snow day, along with public and catholic school boards in York, Durham, Peel and Halton regions.
Some parents were already complaining in the wee hours of the morning that the TDSB, in particular, “waits until the absolute last second to call a snow day.” The closure comes just ahead of a P.A. Day on Friday and Family Day on Monday, which has some online thinking “lucky kids, poor parents.”
Messy roads
Residents have been asked to put off any non-essential travel until road conditions improve.
“The plows are working to clear the roads, the snow continues to fall. Please help the snow clearing operations by staying off the roads,” the Ontario Provincial Police wrote around 6 a.m. Thursday on social media, where officers are also reporting an uptick in collisions and vehicles stuck in the snow across the region.
#OPP_HSD officers continue to respond to collisions and vehicles stuck in snow drifts across the GTA.
If it is necessary that you travel, the OPP encourages motorists to use MTO’s Ontario 511 and Traveller Information Service for 24/7 and up-to-date access to road information on…
— OPP Highway Safety Division (@OPP_HSD) February 13, 2025
The Toronto Police Service, meanwhile, is cautioning anyone parked roadside that their car may be towed and slapped with a $200 ticket.
“A Major Snowstorm Condition has been declared by the General Manager of Transportation Services of the City of Toronto, which will impact parking regulations,” the force stated in a release.
“On Wednesday, February 12, 2025, at 10:00 p.m., Municipal Code Chapter 950-406 will be enacted, making parking illegal on posted snow route arterial roadways. The prohibition is for a period of 72 hours to assist with ploughing and snow removal. The declaration may be shortened or lengthened depending on how much snow needs to be removed.”
A list of streets affected is available on the City’s website.
Businesses and attractions shutting down (or giving discounts) for the day
The Toronto Zoo, known for being open every day of the year, has shut its gates for the duration of Thursday “due to the heavy snow and winter storm forecast” as “a proactive step for the safety and well-being of the animals, staff, volunteers and guests.”
In a differing approach, Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada has announced a 50 per cent off discount for on-site, same-day tickets.
Whether you love a good snow day or hate it, it looks like the wintry weather is here to stay in Ontario, with the next few weeks set to be colder than usual and another hit of double-digit snowfall coming this weekend.
