Travel delays expected as Toronto clears mountains of weekend snow

TORONTO — Toronto residents are urged to give themselves a bit more time and help their neighbours as they wake up to mountains of snow clogging their driveways and streets following a record-breaking snowstorm.

Environment Canada says Pearson International Airport saw the highest daily total snowfall on record with 46 centimetres of snowfall on Sunday bringing this month’s snowfall total to 88.2 centimetres which is the snowiest January and snowiest month since records began in 1937.

Toronto police say drivers should slow down and use extreme caution when driving in the area of the ramp from the southbound Don Valley Parkway to the Gardiner Expressway as it is “very slippery” this morning.

City manager Paul Johnson says it’s likely going to take the city a couple of days until snow is cleared all the way to the curb.

He says they’ll do their best to get expressways and arterials open and clear, and that keeping transit operating is a priority.

Mayor Olivia Chow says she is urging residents to help their neighbours if they’re having difficulty or are stuck, and to call 311 if they need help from the city.

The Toronto District School Board, the York Catholic District School Board and the Peel District School Board say their schools, including child care centres, will be closed Monday.

Toronto Metropolitan University said its campus will remain closed on Monday and York University said all in-person activities that are scheduled for the morning and afternoon will be cancelled or changed to remote delivery if possible.

The University of Toronto said its St. George campus will be closed until noon along with its Scarborough campus while its campus in Mississauga will be closed all day.

The City of Toronto says it has activated its second major snow event response plan of the year and has made several other declarations to deal with the weather event.

Johnson says the declarations prohibit parking on some major routes as well as streetcar routes.

Flight-tracking site FlightAware says more than 500 flights were cancelled at Pearson International Airport on Sunday.

The airport says snow clearing operations continue at the airfield.

It said flight schedules may still change throughout the day on Monday as airlines work to restore normal operations following many delays and cancellations.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 26, 2026.

The Canadian Press