A severe winter storm brought frigid temperatures and heavy snowfall to the Barrie region and Simcoe County on Thursday, January 15, 2026, with conditions not expected to ease soon. The disruptive weather led to widespread cancellations and hazardous road conditions.
Transportation Disruptions and School Closures
All school buses in Simcoe County were cancelled due to the dangerous weather. Across the Greater Toronto Area, most schools were closed for the day, with the notable exception of those in Durham Region. The snow-covered roads significantly slowed morning commutes, creating treacherous travel conditions for residents.
Serious Highway Incidents
The storm contributed to serious collisions on major highways. Southbound Highway 400 at Finch Avenue was closed following a collision that left one driver with critical injuries. In eastern Ontario, a separate series of serious collisions forced the closure of part of Highway 401, further illustrating the storm's widespread impact on provincial infrastructure.
Local Impacts and Wider Context
Within the city of Barrie, emergency services responded to an incident where a car struck a guardrail along Highway 400, resulting in one person being transported to hospital. The intense weather event prompted local police services to actively promote a single, official website for the public to access the most current and accurate information on road closures.
This snowstorm forms part of a broader pattern of extreme winter weather across Canada. On the same day, snow events were officially declared in several Ontario municipalities, including Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge, and Wilmot. The storm's reach and severity underscore the significant challenges posed by this winter season to communities and transportation networks across the province.
