Both the City of Peterborough and the Township of Selwyn have declared a “significant weather event” for Monday (January 17) after a winter storm brought up to 50 centimetres (20 inches) of snow to the area overnight on Sunday into Monday morning.
Municipalities can declare a significant weather event under a regulation of the Municipal Act, which allows them to deem municipal roadways as being in a “state of repair” with respect to snow accumulation.
The declaration of a significant weather event is not a notice of a reduced level of service, but notifies residents that it may take longer than usual to clear the snow.
“Declaring a significant weather event is a way to advise residents, pedestrians, cyclists and motorists that conditions on roads, sidewalks, and bike lanes can be expected to be delayed compared to typical levels of service,” stated John Czerniawski, public works operations supervisor with the City of Peterborough, in a media release issued on Monday.
“Crews have been out on streets and sidewalks since 1:30 a.m. working on the roads and all snow-clearing resources will continue to be deployed 24 hours a day for this response,” Czerniawski added. “This is not an emergency situation, but the snow-clearing work will take some time to complete with the amount of snow that has fallen and continues to come down this morning.”
In Peterborough, snow-clearing operations are currently focused on main roads as well as sidewalks. Crews are expected to move into residential streets Monday night or early Tuesday morning.
A city bus is stuck across Aylmer Street at Hunter. Avoid the area pic.twitter.com/EsXEDLZTIF
— Steve Guthrie (@SkunkRancher) January 17, 2022
Meanwhile, public transit services have been suspended in both Peterborough and Lindsay until further notice. Specialty transit in Lindsay will continue to operate for essential appointments only.
Other municipal services in Peterborough closed on Monday due to the winter storm including the city’s social services office, city-operated child care centres at Pearson Day Care and Peterborough Day Care, city-operated before- and after-school child care programs at Edmison Heights Public School and Westmount Public School, and Peterborough Public Library.
Trent University has closed both its Peterborough and Durham campuses. Remote classes for both campuses are continuing as scheduled. Food and essential services continue. Fleming College campuses remain open.
Although the COVID-19 vaccination clinic at Healthy Planet Arena in Peterborough remains open during the day, Peterborough Public Health is recommending people rebook their appointments to later in the week. The health unit has cancelled the evening clinic from 5 to 9 p.m. at Healthy Planet Arena, as well as the clinic that was to take place on Monday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Norwood Community Centre.
Waste and recycling curbside collection in Kawartha Lakes and Northumberland County have been cancelled for Monday. Kawartha Lakes residents are asked to put their items out for collection on Friday (January 21) and Northumberland County residents are asked to hold their items until next Monday (January 24), when collection limits for garbage will be doubled from two bags to four and additional recyclables can be placed in plastic totes or cardboard boxes.
There was also a power outage in the Peterborough in East City and central downtown locations, leaving hundreds of residents and businesses without power for around four hours on Monday morning.
