Brampton neighbourhood evacuated due to flood; GTA under snowfall warning

Residents in one Brampton neighbourhood are being evacuated due to flooding that has damaged dozens of homes Thursday.

In a news release, the City of Brampton said the evacuation requirement covers at least six areas in Churchville including Martins Boulevard, Church Street, Victoria Street, Adelaide Street, and select parts of Churchville Road and Creditview Road.

"While the majority of residents have already been evacuated from this area, this evacuation requirement will remain in place overnight and reassessed tomorrow," the city said.

In a video posted to Twitter late Thursday afternoon, Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown said about 50 homes in the neighbourhood were affected.

The city said emergency services will remain on-site and continue to monitor the situation.

In addition to the Churchville area, other parts of the city are also experiencing localized flooding, including Wanless Road at Winston Churchill Boulevard, Heritage Road from Bovaird to Wanless Drives, the Clarence Street bridge and the Kiwanis bridge in Peel Village.

The Credit Valley Conversation issued a flood warning Thursday morning, advising that the "risk is high for ice break up and possible ice jam formation along the Credit River."

In Toronto, a flood warning was issued by the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority and Toronto police said rising water levels on the Don Valley Parkway are leading to "dangerous conditions" on the highway.

Police reported flooding on the Bloor Ramp to the Gardiner Expressway. Flooding also closed the Long Branch GO Station temporarily, and trains were stopping in the area.

Bayview Avenue was blocked in both directions at River Street due to flooding.

As darkness fell, rain turned into snow.

Environment Canada issued a snowfall warning for the city and its surrounding areas, advising of heavy snow continuing through Friday morning.

The federal weather agency said the GTA could see snowfall amounts of 15 to 20 centimetres.

"Be prepared to adjust your driving with changing road conditions. Rapidly accumulating snow could make travel difficult over some locations. Visibility may be suddenly reduced at times in heavy snow," Environment Canada said in its advisory.

Speaking at a news conference on Thursday morning, officials with the City of Toronto's transportation department said salt trucks and snowplows are "ready to respond."

Once the rain turns to ice pellets at around 3 p.m., the city said salt trucks will be deployed to combat slick conditions. Trucks have been placed in strategic locations to make sure they can respond where they are needed in a matter of minutes, officials said during this morning's briefing.

Plows will be out on expressways, major roads, and local streets once certain thresholds for snowfall are met. City staff are cautioning drivers to prepare for a slippery commute tomorrow morning.

Some school boards cancelled buses and closed schools Thursday in anticipation of inclement weather.

The temperature is also expected to plummet overnight, prompting the city's medical officer of health to issue an extreme cold weather alert today.

The temperature in Toronto will feel like-18 with the wind chill by 7 a.m. on Friday.