A fast-moving Winter storm has triggered widespread school bus cancellations — and several full school closures — across Toronto and the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) on Thursday, as boards warn of hazardous travel conditions and reduced visibility during the morning commute.
Below is a detailed breakdown of impacts by school board.
Toronto District School Board (TDSB) and Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB)
Toronto has moved to a full systemwide shutdown as the winter storm intensifies.
Both the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) and the Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB) have closed all schools today, citing unsafe road conditions and worsening weather.
The Toronto Student Transportation Group (TSTG) was the first to issue a citywide alert, confirming that all school bus and student transportation services are cancelled.
Shortly after, the TDSB announced a full closure of its schools, childcare centres, and all before‑ and after‑school programs. The TCDSB followed with its own systemwide closure.
Halton District School Board (HDSB) and Halton Catholic District School Board (HCDSB)
All schools under both the Halton District School Board (HDSB) and the Halton Catholic District School Board (HCDSB) are closed for the day.
The boards confirmed that transportation is cancelled in Zones 1, 2, and 3, affecting the entire region.
The closures include:
- All elementary and secondary schools
- Administrative centres
- School-based programs and activities
Families are advised to monitor board channels for updates as conditions evolve.
York Region District School Board (YDSB) and York Catholic District School Board (YCDSB)
York Region has expanded its weather response.
Earlier, the York Region District School Board (YRDSB) announced that all transportation services were cancelled, with schools remaining open.
A new update confirms that all schools serving both YRDSB and the York Catholic District School Board (YCDSB) are closed region‑wide.
“Due to emergency weather, transportation services are cancelled, and all schools and board locations are closed to students today, Jan. 15, 2026. Parents, do not send your child to school today.”
Peel District School Board (PDSB) and Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board (DPCDSB)
The storm has forced a full closure across Peel Region.
The Peel District School Board (PDSB) and Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board (DPCDSB) announced that all schools and worksites are closed, and all buses are cancelled.
The PDSB confirmed the closure includes:
- Childcare centres
- Night school
- Community permits
- All school‑based activities
“All DPCDSB schools and offices/facilities are closed to students and staff today due to winter weather conditions,” wrote the board.
Durham District School Board (DDSB) and Durham Catholic District School Board (DCDSB)
Durham Region has issued a full transportation shutdown across all zones.
Durham Student Transportation Services (DSTS) announced that all school buses are cancelled in every zone — including:
- Zone 1: Brock
- Zone 2: Uxbridge
- Zone 3: Scugog
- Zone 4: Pickering, Ajax, Whitby, Oshawa
The agency said the decision was made due to “road conditions resulting from inclement weather.”
Despite the transportation shutdown, all schools remain open across both the Durham District School Board (DDSB) and the Durham Catholic District School Board (DCDSB).
DSTS emphasized that buses will not operate in the morning or afternoon, meaning families will need to arrange both drop‑off and pickup if students attend in person.
Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board (HWCDSB)
Hamilton is experiencing some of the most significant disruptions in the region.
The Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board has closed all schools and facilities, including:
- Elementary and secondary schools
- Adult education centres
- School-based childcare centres
- Administrative buildings
- Community Use of Schools programs
Transportation is fully cancelled.
The board added:
“Due to inclement weather, all HWCDSB schools, adult education centres, school-based childcare centres, administrative buildings and Community Use of Schools are closed today, Jan. 15, 2026 and student transportation is cancelled. Teachers will post asynchronous materials by 10 a.m.”
Students will shift to independent learning for the day.
Colleges and Universities
Post‑secondary institutions across Toronto are also suspending operations as the storm intensifies, with all major campuses announcing closures or reduced services for the day.
Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU)
TMU has closed both its Toronto and Brampton campuses for the morning and afternoon due to severe weather and heavy snowfall.
In an early‑morning alert, the university said all buildings — including libraries — are shut down, with an update on evening operations expected by 3 p.m.
Students and staff currently on campus were advised to leave “as soon as possible, if it is safe to do so.”
York University
York University has suspended all on‑campus operations as of 6 a.m., cancelling in‑person classes across its campuses.
Virtual classes and online activities will continue, and the university says it will provide an update on afternoon operations by 10 a.m.
University of Toronto (U of T)
The University of Toronto has closed all three of its campuses — St. George, Scarborough, and Mississauga — as heavy snowfall continues across the region.
- St. George Campus: Fully closed for the day, with all campus activities cancelled.
- Scarborough Campus: Closed from 8 a.m. to noon, affecting all in‑person and virtual classes, labs, tests, and events during that window.
- Mississauga Campus: Closed for the day due to ongoing snowfall and worsening conditions.
The university says it will post further updates online as the situation evolves.
St. Michael’s College
St. Michael’s College School is closed today due to poor road conditions caused by the ongoing winter storm.
The school has announced that all classes and after‑school activities are cancelled for Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. Operations are expected to resume on Friday, with the school returning on Day 2 of its cycle.
Humber College
Humber College and the University of Guelph‑Humber (UGH) have closed all campuses as of 6 a.m. due to the winter storm.
Humber says classes will shift to remote delivery wherever possible, and students are being asked to check Blackboard and communicate with instructors for updates. Further information will be shared through Humber’s website and social channels.
Seneca College
Seneca College says all campuses remain open, but the heavy snowfall across the GTA and Peterborough is affecting some operations.
The school has moved all in‑person daytime classes online where possible, and instructors are advising students to check course platforms for updates. A decision on evening classes will be made by 2 p.m. as conditions continue to evolve.
George Brown College
All George Brown College campuses are closed today due to severe weather. The college has not yet indicated when in‑person operations may resume.
Sheridan College
Sheridan College has closed all campuses — Davis, HMC, and Trafalgar — for the day.
The closure affects:
- All on‑campus classes
- All campus facilities, including childcare centres
Virtual classes and remote work for staff and faculty will continue as scheduled. Campus Security remains on site.
McMaster University
McMaster University has closed its campus for the day as heavy snowfall continues to impact Hamilton and the surrounding areas.
The university says all in-person and virtual classes, labs, studios, and events are cancelled, with the only exception being clinical placements in health professional programs, which will proceed at each program’s direction. Students in placements are being asked to communicate directly with their clinical supervisors.
