Canadians are facing extremely cold temperatures and heavy snowfall across most of the country on Sunday. A polar vortex has covered much of Canada in recent days, leading Environment Canada to issue orange alerts for many areas, indicating severe weather conditions that may cause significant damage, disruption, or health risks.
Record-breaking cold temperatures have been reported in many towns in Saskatchewan, where Environment Canada issued an orange warning. Meteorologist Brad Vrolijk highlighted the dangers of the cold, mentioning that skin can freeze in minutes, especially with the addition of even light winds. Saskatoon has activated its winter emergency response plan due to the severe cold.
In Ontario, officials in Hamilton, the Greater Toronto Area, and Kitchener-Waterloo advised residents to stay home as up to 40 centimetres of snow was expected. Despite warnings, the Ontario Provincial Police responded to over 50 car collisions in southwestern Ontario. The GTA experienced strong wind gusts and reduced visibility, leading to flight cancellations at Toronto Pearson International Airport.
Ottawa is bracing for 20 centimetres of snow with a winter weather parking ban in place for Monday. Kingston has declared a “significant weather event” due to snow and cold, cautioning residents about possible delays in winter maintenance.
In Quebec, the Canadian Red Cross opened an emergency shelter in Côte Saint-Luc after thousands lost power. Hydro-Québec is working to restore power to affected homes, with some addresses expected to wait until Monday for reconnection.
In the Atlantic provinces, Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro successfully removed ice at the Bay d’Espoir power plant. Power warnings remain in effect, urging customers to conserve electricity and prepare for possible outages.
