Hundreds of snow plows 'ready in position' in Toronto ahead of major southern Ontario snowstorm

Another major snowfall is expected to hit southern Ontario for several days just weeks after a historic blizzard ravaged parts of the province.

Environment Canada has released a weather advisory for the region, forecasting 10 to 15 centimeters of snow in the Greater Toronto Area.

Rain is expected to transition into snowfall in Toronto Wednesday evening and continue overnight before tapering in the morning. However, a lighter snowfall is expected to take over on Thursday.

The agency warns visibility will be reduced on the roads and encourages caution on icy and slippery surfaces, such as highways, roads, walkways and parking lots.

“Motorists should expect hazardous winter driving conditions and adjust travel plans accordingly. Be prepared to adjust your driving with changing road conditions,” Environment Canada said.

TRANSIT IMPACT

On Wednesday afternoon, the Ontario Provincial Police said they were already responding to 25 collisions in the Greater Toronto Area due to wet and slushy roads.

“If you catch the edge of that snow…it pulls your vehicle in that direction,” Sgt. Kerry Schmidt said on Wednesday afternoon while responding to a crash on Highway 400 after a vehicle spun out in the northbound lane.

“Sliding and slipping around. That is the theme. It certainly is a messy drive home,” he said.

If you can work remotely tomorrow, Schmidt said, that would be a good idea. With the temperature set to drop below zero, he said he anticipates more problems ahead.

In preparation for the storm, the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) is adding 50 extra buses to their normal schedule, which the agency said will run from 7a.m. to 7p.m., with a mid-day overlap.

Until weather permits, Line 3 of the Scarborough SRT has been proactively shutdown with 25 buses replacing service.

Subway trains will be stored in tunnels along the city’s main lines to avoid issues with exiting the yards.

But ultimately, the TTC said the “precise track and full impact of this storm is still unknown” and operations can be impacted by poor road conditions. 

'READY IN POSITION'

The City of Toronto said 600 snowplows, 360 sidewalk plows, 200 salt machines and 1,500 personnel are “ready in position,” strategically placed in anticipation for a multi-day snowfall.

“We're going to be salting the roads today as soon as the rain changes to freezing rain and will be doing that multiple times throughout the day,” Barbara Gray, general manager of Transportation Services, said on Wednesday.

“We expect to start plowing the roads and sidewalks as soon as the snow starts accumulating on the ground,” she added.

Gray said the city’s objective is to start the clearing effort this evening and continue overnight to get the roads ready for the morning commute.

Aligning with the city’s strategy during the previous snowfall, emergency transit routes will be ranked highest priority. Ensuring school zones, local roads, sidewalks, transit stops and bike lanes are safe will also be a key focus for the city.

More than two week after a historic blizzard rocked Toronto, Gray acknowledged that some neighbourhoods are still waiting for crews to clear their streets. She assured residents the residual issues will be addressed.