As Ontarians brace for a winter storm set to hit the region starting on Thursday, several school boards have already announced closures and bus cancellations for Friday.
Here’s a look at what some school boards have said so far:
The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) said it will close its schools, administrative buildings and sites on Friday.
“With widespread blowing snow, damaging winds, poor visibility, and flash freezing currently being forecast for tomorrow and into the weekend, we have made the decision, together with the Toronto Catholic District School Board, to close all schools, administrative buildings and sites to students and staff tomorrow,” a notice on the board’s website read.
The Toronto Catholic District School Board said its schools, child care centres and before and after school programs would be closed on Friday.
The York Region District School Board says its in-person schools will be closed on Friday due to “expected severe weather conditions.”
The board said in-person schools will be closed to both students and staff.
“Please DO NOT send your children to school,” a notice on the board’s website read.
According to YRDSB, asynchronous learning activities will be made available for students who normally attend in person.
Similarly, the York Catholic District School Board said it has decided to cancel buses and close its schools on Friday, citing the “uncertainty regarding the timing and weather conditions” expected in the afternoon.
The Durham Catholic District School Board and the Peel District School Board both said their schools would be closed on Friday.
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The District School Board of Niagara (DSBN) said the “major winter storm” will cause “dangerous driving conditions on Friday and over the weekend.”
“Base on this forecast, Niagara Student Transportation Services is anticipating that buses will be cancelled tomorrow,” a notice on the board’s site reads.
The DSBN said it — in collaboration with Niagara Catholic District School Board — has made the “proactive decision” to close all of its schools on Friday.
The Niagara Catholic District School Board confirmed in a tweet that all of its schools and sites would be closed on Friday.
The Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) said “due to the anticipated severe weather” on Friday, its schools will be closed.
The WRDSB said all school buses and taxis will also be cancelled.
“Extended day programs, child care centres located in our schools and our education centre will be closed,” a notice read.
The board said students can access asynchronous learning where applicable.
Similarly, the Waterloo Catholic District School Board said its schools would be closed.
The Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board said its schools and childcare centres will be closed on Friday.
Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board said all of its schools, adult and continuing education centres and child care centres will be closed.
The Grand Erie District School Board and Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic District School Board will be closing their schools on Friday as well.
In the London area, all schools will be closed for the Thames Valley District School Board, as well as the London District Catholic School Board.
Peterborough-based public and Catholic school boards are closing all schools on Friday too.
Both the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board and the Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington Catholic District School Board announced all of their schools will be closed Friday.
The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board says its schools and administration buildings will be closed on Friday.
“Students and staff should remain home,” a tweet from the board read. “There will be no learning activities taking place on Friday, including virtual schools.”
The Conseil des Ecoles Publiques de l’Est de l’Ontario said its schools would be closed on Friday due to the storm as well.
The Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board and the Simcoe County District School Board each said their schools would be closed on Friday.
Meanwhile, other boards, including the Durham District School Board, the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board and the Upper Grand District School Board were set to begin their holiday break on Friday.
Both The Halton District School Board and Halton Catholic District School Board are scheduled to have a professional activity (PA) days at their schools on Friday.
McMaster University said it will be closing at 7 a.m. on Thursday. Mohawk College and Brock University will also be closed on Friday.
Environment Canada has issued some form of weather advisory for all of southern Ontario, warning of a major winter storm expected to hit the region starting on Thursday.The complex weather system is forecasted to begin as rain for most areas on Thursday before temperatures drop Friday, causing a flash freeze.
Precipitation is then expected to transition to snow, with accumulation amounts greatly varying depending on the location.
Strong wind gusts of up to 120 km/h are expected for some places.
-With files from Global News’ Ryan Rocca
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