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A blanket of heavy snow in the Greater Toronto Area led to several crashes Wednesday and made for tricky travel conditions through the evening.
Ontario Provincial Police say they responded to about 200 collisions in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton area on Wednesday. No one was seriously injured.
“Roads and walkways will likely be difficult to navigate due to accumulating snow,” the federal weather agency said on its website Wednesday afternoon.
Toronto was under a snowfall warning as of 5 p.m. but that was lifted by 5:45 p.m.
Other areas, namely southern and northern Durham Region, Mississauga, Brampton, Markham, Vaughan and Richmond Hill, were under a snowfall warning but that has since lifted. Northern York Region is under a snow squall watch.
Henry Fung, a meteorologist with Environment Canada, said Toronto received about 10 centimetres of snow on Wednesday, with lesser amounts reported closer to Lake Ontario and greater amounts reported in more northern areas.
An Alberta clipper was responsible for bringing the snow to the region, the agency said.
Wind chill of -18 expected overnight
In North York, the weather agency reported 8.4 centimetres, while Toronto’s Pearson International Airport reported 10 centimetres. Richmond Hill received 13 centimetres, while Vaughan and Newmarket reported 11 centimetres.
The federal weather agency said Toronto should expect up to two centimetres more, but the snow is expected to taper off by early evening.
“I’m sure congestion is pretty bad out there,” Fung said.
Fung said residents should take care when shovelling the snow because it’s wet and heavy. The forecast calls for a low temperature of –9 C with a wind chill of –18 overnight in Toronto.
“Do it slowly. Walk carefully on the sidewalks. It’s going to be slippery, slushy and icy,” he said.
WATCH | Environment Canada has a new system for weather alerts:
Environment Canada rolls out colour-coded weather alerts
Environment and Climate Change Canada weather alerts will now be colour coded, ranking specific dangers during active weather situations. The new alerts debut after snow blanketed Calgary and as a winter storm is set to hit Quebec and Ontario.
Weather alerts throughout the region were colour-coded yellow Wednesday, meaning the impacts of the weather are considered to moderate, localized or short term in duration. Yellow means “hazardous weather” that may cause damage or disruption and may affect health.
OPP warns of ‘treacherous’ driving conditions
Sgt. Kerry Schmidt with the Ontario Provincial Police urged drivers to turn headlights on, brush snow and ice off vehicles and leave extra space while going slow, especially on secondary roads.
Commuters wait in a bus shelter in Scarborough during a wet snowfall on Dec. 9, 2025. (Evan Mitsui/CBC)
“It’s a winter wonderland,” Schmidt said. “It looks beautiful when you’re looking at it, but when you’re driving in it, it’s a little different story.”
Road conditions are “treacherous” with snow build-up making the morning drive “slippery,” Schmidt told CBC News earlier Wednesday.
While snow accumulation didn’t look too bad on the highways early Wednesday, Schmidt said drivers should exercise caution on shoulders and ramps.
“When you see those snow plows, stay clear of them, stay behind them, let them do their jobs,” he said. “They’re putting down that salt as quickly as they can at the speed that’s appropriate for those conditions.”
Resident Greg Angelus said he thought the snowfall looks beautiful, but since he’s retired, planned to spend the the day indoors with a cup of coffee.
“It’s just in time for Christmas, it’s nice, it’s fantastic,” he said. “I’ll probably get out and about tomorrow, once everything’s cleared.”
Resident Wayne Chan said he had to leave the house earlier Wednesday morning to drop off a family member at a doctor’s appointment.
“This is not too bad but driving is going to be a little tricky,” he said. “You [have to] be in the right mindset. Don’t be hurry hurry all the time. Watch the guy in front and watch the guy behind.”
Some school bus routes cancelled
Schools in the Greater Toronto Area remained opened on Wednesday, according to various school board updates on social media.
However, some school bus routes were cancelled due to the weather, including:
- Halton District School Board’s Zone 2 and 3, located north of Highway 407.
- All transportation services for the York Region And York Catholic District School Board.
- Peel District School Board’s Zone 3 in Caledon.
- Buses in all zones for the Durham Region and Durham Catholic District School Board.
Toronto District and Toronto Catholic District School Board advised all buses would be running, but may be delayed from the snow.
Extra staff and additional safety measures, such as salting platforms and applying anti-icing solution to transit lines, have been deployed for commuters’ safety, the TTC said in a news release.
It said some bus stops in hilly areas will be out of service during the snowstorm.
