A severe winter storm crippled Canada's largest city on Thursday, January 15, 2026, forcing widespread school closures and creating hazardous travel conditions across the Greater Toronto Area. The system dumped up to 35 centimeters of snow within 24 hours, with wind gusts reaching 70 km/h that reduced visibility to near-zero conditions.
School Closures and Safety Measures
All Toronto District School Board facilities suspended operations yesterday, affecting nearly 250,000 students. Partial closures occurred in Peel and York regions, where some afternoon bus routes were canceled. Emergency services reported responding to 147 weather-related incidents by midnight Thursday.
Transportation Gridlock and Economic Impact
Toronto Pearson International Airport implemented ground stops during peak snowfall hours, delaying 212 flights. Major highways including the 401 and QEW experienced multi-vehicle collisions, while GO Transit reduced commuter rail service frequency by 40% during evening rush hour. Logistics analysts warn the storm could temporarily disrupt supply chains for Ontario's manufacturing sector.
Environment Canada maintains extreme cold weather alerts as temperatures are forecast to drop to -25°C with wind chill this weekend. Municipal crews continue round-the-clock snow removal operations on priority routes.
