In a notable exception to widespread shutdowns, schools in Durham Region remained open on Thursday, January 15, 2026, as a significant snowstorm prompted closures across most of the Greater Toronto Area. The decision highlighted regional differences in weather response and operational protocols.
A Patchwork of Closures Across the GTA
The winter storm that swept through southern Ontario on January 15 led to a cascade of cancellations and safety measures. Most school boards in the GTA, including those in Toronto, Peel, and York regions, opted to close their doors for the day, prioritizing student and staff safety amid hazardous travel conditions. The storm was part of a broader weather event causing disruptions province-wide, including serious collisions that closed sections of Highway 401 in eastern Ontario and Highway 400 southbound at Finch Avenue.
Pedestrians were seen navigating snow-covered sidewalks in Ajax, while the storm's impact was felt from roadways to public services. The contrasting approach in Durham Region immediately stood out to parents and commuters across the GTA.
The Durham Decision: Assessing Local Conditions
Unlike its neighbouring jurisdictions, the Durham District School Board and the Durham Catholic District School Board proceeded with a regular school day. This decision was not made in isolation but was based on a specific assessment of local conditions within Durham Region.
School board officials and local transportation authorities conducted early-morning assessments of road conditions, weather forecasts, and bus route viability specifically within Durham's boundaries. The determination was made that conditions within the region, while challenging, were manageable for safe school operations. This hyper-local focus is a standard part of severe weather protocols, where decisions are made independently by each board based on their immediate geography and infrastructure.
Context of a Major Winter Event
The January 15 storm was a significant weather event with far-reaching consequences. Beyond school closures, it contributed to numerous traffic incidents and was part of a day filled with major news across Canada. Other headlines included a fatal crash involving stolen vehicles northeast of Edmonton, federal public service job cut concerns, and political developments such as support for Christine Fréchette as the CAQ navigates challenges after Premier Legault’s resignation.
The storm also coincided with various provincial issues, including an Alberta government-ordered fatality inquiry into an Edmonton ER death and a Saskatchewan court dismissing a coal power legal challenge. The localized school closure decisions in Ontario operated within this wider national context of weather, policy, and public safety.
The divergent choices between Durham and other GTA boards underscore the decentralized nature of school closure decisions in Ontario. There is no single governing body that mandates closures for the entire metropolitan area; instead, each board's transportation and safety teams make independent calls, often in the very early hours of the morning. This can sometimes lead to the patchwork scenario witnessed on January 15, 2026, where one region's schools remain open while surrounding boards shut down.
