More than 150 collisions have been reported across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton areas since early Wednesday as a fast-moving winter system turned roads slick and visibility poor, Ontario Provincial Police say.
OPP warned of significant delays for tow trucks and roadside assistance, urging drivers to stay home unless travel is essential.
“Wait until the weather system has passed before heading out for non-essential appointments,” the service said on social media.
Among the incidents, a police cruiser reportedly struck a traffic-light pole in Toronto’s Yorkville area around 10:20 a.m. No word yet on injuries.
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According to the City of Toronto, this evening, when snowfall resumes, roads and sidewalks may become slippery and crews will continue salting and plowing.
Crews will plow all residential streets, even in areas where the usual plowing threshold has not been met.
This is because slush is expected to freeze overnight, creating hazardous conditions. The City thanks everyone for their patience as this will take time.
Environment Canada has issued a yellow-level snowfall alert for much of southern Ontario, calling for 10 to 15 centimetres of snow in many areas and cautioning that travel will likely be “challenging” due to reduced visibility and slippery roads.
The system, brought in by an Alberta clipper, is expected to continue through the day, with some areas near the Lake Ontario shoreline seeing a mix of snow and rain.
Under Canada’s new colour-coded alert system, a yellow alert means hazardous weather may cause short-term or localized disruption.
With slick roads, accumulating snow and visibility dropping at times, officials say Wednesday is a good day to avoid non-essential travel, take transit where possible, or stay indoors until conditions improve.
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