School bus services in Ottawa were operational on Monday following a night of heavy snowfall. Ottawa Student Transportation (OSTA) and the Consortium de transport scolaire d’Ottawa (CTSO) were the only agencies running buses, while others in eastern Ontario had suspended their services.
Several school boards, including the Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic District School Board and the Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board, announced closures for Monday. The Limestone District School Board shut down all schools except for four, namely the North Addington Education Centre, the Granite Ridge Education Centre, Land O’Lakes Public School, and Clarendon Central Public School.
Despite the snowy conditions, most schools remained open, with some adjustments such as rescheduling exams. For instance, the Renfrew County and Upper Canada public boards postponed Monday exams to Tuesday.
In western Quebec, school buses were operating as usual. The Kingston area has experienced frequent bus cancellations in recent days due to heavy snowfall. Weather data indicated significant snow accumulation in various regions, with Ottawa receiving 13 cm, Belleville 35 cm, and Kingston 10 cm by Monday morning.
Transportation services were affected by the weather conditions, with Via Rail canceling 12 routes between Quebec City and Windsor. The Ottawa International Airport reported delays due to the snowfall.
Local authorities in Kingston, Belleville, and Quinte West declared a significant weather event, leading to challenges in maintaining snow-clearing standards. Additional measures, such as extending warming center operations, were implemented in response to the weather conditions.
Parking restrictions were put in place in Ottawa and Gatineau to facilitate snow removal efforts. Ottawa enforced a parking ban on most streets from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Monday, while Gatineau implemented an overnight parking ban from midnight to 6 a.m. on Tuesday.
Residents were advised to check with their respective municipalities for any weather-related updates or changes in services.