A winter storm swept through the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) on the night of February 12, 2025, depositing over 20 centimeters of snow, which prompted numerous school closures on Thursday morning.
Both the Toronto District School Board and the Toronto Catholic District School Board announced the cancellation of all classes and student transportation across their regions. This closure will extend through Friday, which is designated as a Professional Activity day, as well as the subsequent Family Day weekend, hampering local students’ plans for the holiday.
The situation was similar across the region. The Dufferin Peel Catholic District School Board and the Peel District School Board confirmed the closure of all schools and facilities due to the hazardous weather conditions. Meanwhile, the Halton District School Board and the Halton Catholic District School Board reported complete school closures and canceled all means of student transport.
The Durham District School Board and the Durham District Catholic School Board also announced early Thursday morning the cancellation of all buses, leading to the closure of all their schools for the day.
Moving north, the York Region District School Board and the York Catholic District School Board followed suit, shuttering all schools and board locations and ceasing transportation services due to the snowstorm.
Hamilton wasn’t spared either, as the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board, along with its Catholic counterpart, canceled classes and services. Teachers were expected to provide asynchronous learning materials by 10 a.m. to accommodate students.
Simcoe County reported school closures as well, with all local schools suspending operations. Contrastingly, the Niagara Region experienced different circumstances; the District School Board of Niagara and the Niagara Catholic District School Board canceled bus services but kept schools open, albeit classes were canceled at the Niagara Children’s Centre School Authority.
MonAvenir and Viamonde also closed schools across several regions, including the Toronto and Kitchener-Waterloo areas, with only the Niagara schools remaining operational.
On the college and university front, substantial changes unfolded amid the storm. Humber Polytechnic announced the transition to remote classes when possible, resulting from the closure of all campuses. Georgian College also opted to shut down several campus locations, including Barrie, Muskoka, and Orangeville. Sheridan College confirmed all its campuses would remain closed for the day.
The University of Toronto, known for its downtown campus remaining open, stated the Mississauga campus was closed with morning classes at the Scarborough campus canceled as well. York University similarly stated it would keep its doors open but would monitor the weather situation closely.
Toronto Metropolitan University confirmed operational status for its downtown campus but encouraged students to factor additional time for their morning commutes due to the severe weather.
Adult education centers and community programs were also affected, with most educational institutions taking significant steps to minimize disruption during the storm.
The widespread closures of schools and the adaptations made by universities and colleges reflect the challenges posed by severe weather conditions and the efforts to maintain safety for students and staff alike. With forecasts indicating the possibility of continued winter weather, many institutions remain vigilant about future operational plans.