Halifax (Rajeev Sharma): A powerful winter storm sweeping across Nova Scotia on Monday has forced the closure of schools and government offices and led to widespread flight cancellations at Halifax Stanfield International Airport. Heavy snowfall is expected to continue into Tuesday, with some areas forecast to receive 30 centimetres or more.
Public schools across mainland Nova Scotia are closed, along with several post-secondary institutions, including Dalhousie University and Nova Scotia Community College campuses, except for Sydney, which remains open. Provincial government offices have also been shut for the day.
Public Works Minister Fred Tilley said the province has mobilized around 400 pieces of snow-clearing equipment. He added that crews in western Nova Scotia are already dealing with blowing snow and poor visibility.
Environment Canada has issued snowfall or winter storm warnings across the entire province, with similar warnings in parts of New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. The storm is part of a larger weather system affecting eastern Canada and parts of the United States. Toronto has reported snowfall totals of up to 60 centimetres.
Halifax International Airport has seen dozens of flight cancellations and delays. Airport Authority spokesperson Jessica Kinney said disruptions in Halifax are also linked to severe weather affecting other cities across the airline network.
Nova Scotia Power confirmed it has lifted an energy conservation warning issued over the weekend, which had urged customers to reduce electricity use during peak hours amid extreme cold. The utility said only a small number of customers were without power by mid-morning Monday and that widespread outages were avoided.
However, Tilley expressed frustration among residents in his Cape Breton constituency, noting concerns over power reliability, especially as many households have switched to heat pumps. He said recent outages and rising electricity rates have increased public dissatisfaction.
Nova Scotia Power said it is investing $1.3 billion over five years to strengthen the grid and improve reliability. The utility attributed last week’s widespread outages to heavy, wet snow damaging equipment and bringing down trees and power lines.
Meanwhile, winter weather is also disrupting daily life across eastern Ontario and parts of Quebec. In Ottawa, only two school bus authorities opted to run buses, while most others suspended service. Several school boards in eastern Ontario closed schools or postponed exams, while Queen’s University and St. Lawrence College cancelled in-person activities Monday morning.
Snowfall warnings remain in effect for much of eastern Ontario, with Belleville expected to receive more than 40 centimetres of snow by the end of the storm. Kingston, Belleville and Quinte West have declared significant weather events, acknowledging delays in snow-clearing operations.
Municipalities across the region have issued parking bans and extended warming centre hours as the storm continues to impact transportation and public services.
