Seasonal snowfall surpasses 500 cm in Sault Ste. Marie

The City of Sault Ste. Marie says roughly 36 centimetres of snow fell in the area overnight.

That brings the seasonal total to over 500 centimetres, according to the city. 

Main roads continue to receive priority in snow clearing efforts, followed by residential streets. 

Residents are reminded to avoid parking on roadways, keep sidewalks clear and avoid non-essential travel.

Transit in Sault Ste. Marie cancelled for rest of Monday

The City of Sault Ste. Marie announced that Sault transit and parabus remain cancelled for the rest of today. 

Service is expected to resume tomorrow at 6:15 a.m., weather permitting.

Meanwhile, today's garbage and recycling collection is postponed until next Monday. Residents may place extra bags out next week. 

Weather permitting, garbage and recycling service is expected to resume Tuesday morning. 

The city asks residents to avoid putting bins out tonight as they interfere with snowplowing.

'Significant weather event' declared in multiple cities

North Bay has declared a significant weather event and is advising it may take some time to deal with the snow.

The city said it would not be able to maintain typical road standards in a news release issued this afternoon. It affects the following roads:

• Marsh Drive
• Gregory Drive
• Besserer Road
• Sunshine Lane
• Roy Drive
• Cooks Mills Road
• Berkely Boulevard
• Barnett Road
• Third Line
• Laporte Road. 

The city wrote that updates will be provided when the road closures and significant weather ends.

Timmins also issued a significant weather event alert Sunday night. It advised that snow plowing delays are expected and the city's winter parking ban remains in place. 

Greater Sudbury and Sault Ste. Marie have also declared significant weather events. 

Part of Highway 17 reopens

Highway 17 has reopened at this hour between Sault Ste. Marie and Sudbury, according to Ontario 511.

It had previously been shut down in both directions since Sunday night. 

Highway 17 has also reopened between the Sault and Batchawana Bay. 

The highway remains closed between Batchawana Bay and White River. 

Sudbury mayor says 24 hours won't be enough

Lefebvre said 24 hours won't be enough to clear all the streets in Sudbury, and that the city's significant weather event won't be over "for a while."

"That's why we’re asking people to stay home, because the weather we’re seeing is unprecedented," he said.

"Given the size of the snowload we received, and now the rain, it's made it very complicated."

Snowplows helping first responders work in Sudbury

First responders are among those who have been snowed in at home.

Mayor Paul Lefebvre told CBC News that doctors and nurses at Health Sciences North were not able to go in this morning. 

But he said city workers operating snowplows have been responding to calls and getting health-care workers to their respective job sites throughout the day.

"They're working tirelessly," he said. 

Snowplows have also been accompanying paramedics and firefighters on Monday by clearing paths, helping ensure emergencies can be attended to quicker.

Lefebvre doesn't recall ever seeing a similar operation carried out before in Sudbury.

"We're trying to respond to them so they can get to work, because these are critical services," he said. 

– With files from Kate Rutherford

Lancer Dome collapses under snow

Hi, I'm Gabrielle Huston, a reporter and newsreader with CBC Sudbury.

The Lancer Dome at Lasalle Secondary School in Sudbury has collapsed under the weight of the snow, the Rainbow District School Board said. 

A spokesperson said all community use has been cancelled until further notice and contractors have been called to assess it, once the weather allows. 

The school board also said it has filed a claim with its insurance provider. 

The dome opened in 2020 and has a turf field, which groups can use all year long. 

Public works director Dan Perri says the city is focusing on clearing main arteries in the region but with blowing snow and low visibility, the city is asking drivers to refrain from non-essential travel.

Sault Ste. Marie's public works director says the conditions are challenging for city operations — especially the blowing snow — and his team is working around the clock. 

Dan Perri told CBC News that all city facilities are closed while staff focus on essential services and clearing main arteries in the region. 

Drivers should avoid all non-essential travel. 

Transport trucks stranded on highway

Dozens of transport trucks got stuck on Highway 11 in the Timiskaming region after the highway reopened for a few hours. At least 50 trucks had to be dug out from the snow that accumulated due to the major winter storm stretching from east of Lake Superior well into eastern Quebec.

Hi. I'm Faith Greco, reporting from the CBC Sudbury newsroom.

Ontario Provincial Police acting Sgt. Martin Thibault says he's helping dig out roughly 50 transport trucks stranded in the snow in the Timiskaming area after Highway 11 briefly reopened for a few hours this morning.

Const. Kyler Brouwer with the North Bay OPP says since the storm started, 35 people across the region have been charged with driving on closed highways. While there are no major accidents to report, police are urging drivers to stay off closed roads.

Monday snowstorm 'will be talked about for some time'

Even after the heavy snowfall and gusty winds subside, it's going to take municipalities in the northeast a while to recover.

That's according to Geoff Coulson, a longtime meteorologist with Environment Canada who spoke with CBC's Superior Morning in Thunder Bay, Ont., earlier today.

He's calling Monday's storm an historic event "that will be talked about for some time to come."

"It will certainly rate as one of the worst storms to hit in the last number of years."

More than 40 cm of snow has fallen in Sault Ste. Marie, while the Greater Sudbury area saw at least 30 cm. 

"With the blowing snow, it's been hard to get accurate measurements…. It's a testament to the historic nature of this storm," Coulson said.

Additional flurries are on the way this afternoon and into the evening, while freezing rain could impact Sudbury.