Winter storm prompts school closures across Montreal, southern Quebec
A weather cocktail of snow and freezing rain overnight has prompted widespread school closures across Montreal and southern Quebec Friday morning.
Environment Canada has issued snowfall and winter storm warnings for much of southern Quebec, including the Montreal and Laval region, the Quebec City region, the Laurentians, and the Mauricie.
The major school boards and service centres shuttered for the day in Montreal include the English Montreal School Board, the Centre de services scolaire de Montréal and the Lester B. Pearson School Board.
A snowstorm blew into Quebec overnight, leaving Old Orchard Street in Montreal's Notre-Dame-de-Grace borough blanketed in snow. (Kate McKenna/CBC News)
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Still, two Montreal siblings — 15-year-old Stella and 13-year-old Clement Robert — got going early this morning. Not to play in the snow, but to shovel it off their elderly neighbour's steps.
"She's a little bit older and it would be helpful for her and we know those times are rough for everyone," said Stella, standing outside the residence on Girouard Avenue in the city's Notre-Dame-de-Grace borough.
Clement says it feels good to help out people in need and he advises his schoolmates to do the same.
As last night's rain turned to snow overnight, Environment Canada says icy streets and sidewalks are making the morning commute by foot and car tricky.
While the snow is expected to end Friday morning, the federal agency is advising people to adjust their driving habits due to messy road conditions, saying "rapidly accumulating snow could make travel difficult."
Quebec's transport minister took to Twitter to urge motorists to stay off the roads.
"If you can, stay at home and if you absolutely have to travel, be careful," wrote François Bonnardel.
City spokesperson Philippe Sabourin says about 1,000 workers have been out clearing the streets since freezing rain and snow began falling Thursday night. But he says conditions are still rough this morning.
"You will need a shovel, your snow scraper this morning, and if you hit the road, slow down your speed," he told CBC's Daybreak.
Montreal resident Jean Morrisseau says it took him more than 10 minutes to clear off his car this morning.
"It's a bit difficult because of the rain we had yesterday. It's icy underneath the snow," he said.
Montreal's transit corporation, the Société de transport de Montréal (STM), says the majority of buses are on time, except for some that are stuck on icy hills.
This article was originally published for CBC News. Containsfiles from CBC's Daybreak and Kate McKenna.