Winter took a while to get started in Northern Ontario, but now the cold weather, snow, and blizzards are making themselves felt across the North Bay area. Indeed, the snow banks have increased and storms are causing huge problems on roads throughout the region, shutting numerous highways and even causing school closures.
Some of the crews working the city say the snow is becoming a real problem, especially the frequency of the falls in a short period of time. Officials are saying maintaining the roads with consistent snowfall is a hard task, as a cleared road is often covered again hours after it has been reopened. The city says it has likely already gone over its snow removal budget for the year, while general road repairs have been postponed until the weather clears.
A storm blew all weekend, bringing 80mph gusts of wind and heavy snow, blanketing the North Bay region in a fresh layer of snow. The OPP announced on Monday that Highway 17 westward was closed between Trunk Road to Walker’s Road near Thessalon due to poor weather conditions making driving hazardous.
Several hours later the OPP announced that the road had reopened, but another bout of snow could lead to more closures.
It is important to drive carefully in such wintery conditions, while using winter tires is advised. Ontario now has a mandatory discount on auto insurance premiums for all customers who install winter tires, so you will save money and potentially save your life out on the dangerous roads.