After a snowy night, Ottawa school bus authorities decided to operate buses on Monday, with Ottawa Student Transportation (OSTA) and the Consortium de transport scolaire d’Ottawa (CTSO) being the only agencies running buses in the region. However, other school boards in eastern Ontario have opted to keep their buses off the roads.
The Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic District School Board and the Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board have announced school closures for Monday. The Limestone District School Board has also closed all schools except for four specific ones.
In response to the challenging weather conditions, some school boards have made adjustments to their schedules. For instance, the Renfrew County and Upper Canada public boards have rescheduled Monday exams to Tuesday.
Furthermore, universities such as Queen’s University and St. Lawrence College have canceled in-person activities for Monday morning, with instructors informing students about potential remote options.
In contrast, school buses are operating in western Quebec. The region, including Kingston, has experienced multiple school bus cancellations due to heavy snowfall in recent days. The accumulation of snow has been significant, with CFB Trenton’s weather station recording approximately 95 cm of snow since January 15.
Local weather alerts were lifted by 10:30 a.m. on Monday, but the impact of the storm was still evident in transportation disruptions. Via Rail had to cancel 12 routes between Quebec City and Windsor, while the Ottawa International Airport reported delays due to the snow.
Several municipalities, including Kingston, Belleville, and Quinte West, have declared a significant weather event, signaling challenges in maintaining snow-clearing standards. Kingston has extended the operation of its warming center until Thursday morning to support residents during the inclement weather.
Moreover, parking restrictions are in place in Ottawa and Gatineau due to the weather conditions. Ottawa has implemented a parking ban for most vehicles on most streets from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Monday, while Gatineau has an overnight parking ban from midnight to 6 a.m. on Tuesday.
Residents are advised to check with their local municipalities for any additional changes or restrictions due to the ongoing weather conditions.