School closures and cancellations of transportation have swept the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) following a significant winter storm overnight, which blanketed the region with over 20 centimeters of snow.
On Thursday, February 13, 2025, the Toronto District School Board and the Toronto Catholic District School Board announced the closure of all schools and associated daycares for the day. This decision aligns with similar announcements across several other school boards due to the severe weather.
Peel Region was also affected, with the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board and the Peel District School Board closing all schools and offices. The Halton District School Board and the Halton Catholic District School Board followed suit, shutting down all schools for staff and students.
School cancellations continued across the York Region, where both the York Region District School Board and the York Catholic District School Board confirmed all schools would be closed. Similarly, the Durham District School Board and Durham Catholic District School Board announced early Thursday morning the closure of all elementary and secondary schools.
At the same time, the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board declared all schools closed due to the inclement weather. Schools across Simcoe County were impacted as well, with closures announced for the Simcoe County District School Board and the Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board.
While many institutions shut down due to the weather, the District School Board of Niagara and Niagara Catholic District School Board managed to keep their schools open, though all transportation services were cancelled. Nevertheless, the Niagara Children’s Centre School Authority opted to suspend classes for the day.
Other closures were noted from MonAvenir, which reported all its schools across the Toronto Region, Kitchener-Waterloo, Guelph, Norfolk, Brantford, Halton, Hamilton, Peel, Peterborough, York Region, Simcoe-Muskoka, and Durham were also closed. Viamonde echoed this sentiment, confirming closures across similar regions as well.
The impact of this heavy snowfall extended beyond primary and secondary schools to post-secondary institutions. Humber Polytechnic declared all its campuses closed but expressed the intention to conduct classes and services online whenever feasible. Georgian College announced closures at several locations, including Barrie, Muskoka, Orangeville, and Orillia. Sheridan College also closed its campuses across the GTA.
Meanwhile, some universities remained operational. The University of Toronto’s downtown St. George campus stayed open, yet the Mississauga campus underwent closures along with cancelled morning classes at Scarborough. Toronto Metropolitan University, York University, and OCAD also remained operational, urging students to allow extra travel time.
With safety as the primary concern during these conditions, students and parents are advised to monitor updates for any changes as school boards assess the situation. Many transportation services have altered their schedules or ceased operations altogether. Organizations like Durham Student Transportation Services and Student Transportation of Peel Region made announcements early Thursday morning to keep families informed of the cancellations.
The winter storm's aftermath has undoubtedly disrupted education across the GTA, leading to the closures of schools and services, which will be extended through Friday, identified as a PA day, and continuing through the Family Day weekend. ".
With these cumulative effects, the community faces challenges both at home and alongside education as they navigate the repercussions of this extreme weather. Ensuring student safety and reliable transportation remains at the forefront of discussions as school boards cautiously observe conditions moving forward."