As temperatures plunged Tuesday morning, Greater Sudbury is still digging out from the winter storm that hit the area Monday, with most municipal services not operating for the day.

Garbage and recycling collection won’t happen and an alternative day will be announced, the city has announced.

Recreation facilities are also closed, including pools and ski hills, provincial offences court won’t be taking place and child care facilities are also not operating.

A full list can be found here.

Some Gova Transit routes are operating, although on a reduced schedule. The city said it hopes to restore more bus routes throughout the day as roads are plowed.

Current information can be found here.

The storm dropped around 42 cm of snow on the city on Sunday and Monday, grinding most activities to a halt. Only light snow is expected Tuesday, with a few flurries later in the day and a high of -12.

“While road maintenance efforts continue to focus on main arteries and supporting emergency access, crews have started clearing residential roads,” Greater Sudbury said in an update Monday evening.

“Current conditions have made traditional snow plows less effective, requiring the use of graders and loaders. This will further impact timelines, and it may take up to three days to service residential and rural roads.”

“Current conditions have made traditional snow plows less effective, requiring the use of graders and loaders. This will further impact timelines, and it may take up to three days to service residential and rural roads.”

The city said it will also deploy resources to help clear the ends of residential driveways where feasible.

“However, due to limited resources, residents are encouraged to clear the end of their driveway if they are able.”

“We’re using everything that is at our disposal.”

— Dan Thibeault, manager of linear infrastructure technical services for the City of Greater Sudbury

“We are using loaders, graders, backhoes. We do have some of the municipal tractors out there that you would typically see on a sidewalk, they’re out there clearing driveways and things like that,” said Dan Thibeault, manager of linear infrastructure technical services for the City of Greater Sudbury, speaking with CTV News Tuesday.

“All the crews are working around the clock. Just again, we are. Everybody’s out there trying to get the roads cleared up. So just patience. Patience in this in this significant weather event. And, Yeah, that’s we are out there working 24 hours a day. So I appreciate all the hard work that the crews are putting into this right now.”

Health Sciences North said on its website that all non-urgent and outpatient services will be cancelled Tuesday and rescheduled for another day. Impacted patients will be contacted.

“Radiation and chemotherapy treatment appointments in the Shirley and Jim Fielding Northeast Cancer Centre are continuing as usual for Tuesday,” the hospital said.

“Cancer surgeries will also continue for Tuesday. HSN’s emergency department also remains open 24/7 for our urgent patient needs. Food options will be limited for staff and visitors, so plan bring your own food and coffee if coming to HSN in the coming days.”

In Sault Ste. Marie, meanwhile, services are resuming Tuesday, including transit and garbage collection.

“Public works crews continue to make progress, prioritizing main roads and continuing into residential streets and sidewalks this evening and tomorrow,” the city said.

“Please avoid parking on roadways and blocking sidewalks to help crews clear snow safely and efficiently.”

As the area continues to dig out, several roadways in the region are closed. They include such main arteries as Highway 11 from North Bay to Hearst; Highway 17 from Batchewana Bay to White River; and, Highway 144 from Chelmsford to Timmins.

Other roads are closed are partially closed. Real-time information can be found at Ontario 511.

Limited GOVA Transit service will resume on Tuesday while the City of Greater Sudbury remains in the midst of a Significant Weather Event

Municipal crews are continuing to make their way through Greater Sudbury “around the clock” in the midst of an ongoing Significant Weather Event.

“Crews have started work on clearing residential roads, however, the total accumulation of snow followed by rain has impacted the ability for traditional snow plows to clear the roads,” the city noted in a media release issued this evening.

“As a result, graders and loaders are being used, which will extend timelines. It may take up to three days to service residential and rural roads, and exact timelines are not currently available.”

The media release outlines what residents should expect from the city in the coming day, following the overnight snow dump that left area residents digging themselves out and Northern Ontario highways closed.

The Significant Weather Event designation means that until it is removed, normal winter maintenance timelines (all streets and those sidewalks in the city’s maintenance plan plowed within 24 hours) are suspended.

Once the event is declared over, the municipal timelines will resume.

In their media release, the city noted that 311 is unable to take requests related to snow removal on specific streets or provide timelines for service.

However, the city has a snowplow status map, available by clicking here, which shows which areas snow plows have made a pass.

Municipal snow-clearing efforts are focused on main arteries and supporting emergency access.

The city will also deploy resources to help clear the ends of residential driveways where possible, but due to limited resources, timelines for this work cannot be provided and those residents able to are encouraged to clear the ends of their own driveways.

“As city crews continue to work around the clock, residents are reminded to give operators space to do their work safely and efficiently,” the city news release said. “Your patience and cooperation are appreciated as crews work to clear roads across the community.”

GOVA Transit will resume service on March 17, along Main Line 1N, Main Line 1S, and the Barry Downe Cambrian Route 2 every 30 minutes from 6:15 a.m. until 11:45 p.m.

Riders are asked to make their way to these main corridor bus stops for service. More routes will be added as the city is able to.

The downtown transit hub at 9 Elm St. will remain closed.

Real-time information displayed in the new GOVA App and My Bus App will not be accurate during this period of modified service. For more information, contact 311.

Municipal service closures on March 17:

The City of Greater Sudbury says it remains in a Significant Weather Event, which continues to impact multiple municipal services. Updates will be shared with residents through public service announcements and social media.

A reminder that when an SWE is declared, normal winter maintenance timelines are suspended until the event is over. Once the event ends, those timelines resume. As such, 311 is unable to take requests related to snow removal on specific streets or provide timelines for service at this time.

Road maintenance efforts continue to focus on main arteries and supporting emergency access. Crews have started work on clearing residential roads; however, the total accumulation of snow followed by rain has impacted the ability of traditional snow lows to clear the roads. As a result, graders and loaders are being used, which will extend timelines. It may take up to three days to service residential and rural roads, and exact timelines are not currently available.

The city will also deploy resources to help clear the ends of residential driveways when possible. Due to limited resources, timelines for this work cannot be provided and people are encouraged to clear the end of their driveway where possible.

As city crews continue to work around the clock, residents are reminded to give operators space to do their work safely and efficiently. Your patience and cooperation are appreciated as crews work to clear roads across the community.

GOVA Transit will resume service tomorrow, March 17, along Main Line 1N, Main Line 1S, and the Barry Downe Cambrian Route 2 every 30 minutes from 6:15 a.m. until 11:45 p.m. Riders are asked to make their way to these main corridor bus stops for service.

As snow clearing continues and additional resources become available, more routes will be restored in other areas of the community. The Downtown Mobility Hub (9 Elm Street) will remain closed.

Also, riders should note that real-time information displayed in the new GOVA App and My Bus App will not be accurate during this period of modified service. For more information, contact 311.

– Parks and recreational facilities, including all swimming pools and fitness facilities, ski hills (Lively and Adanac), arenas, youth centres, and cemetery services. Parks offices will also be closed. Residents registered for programming at these facilities will be notified by email.

– Residential and commercial collections services. Please do not put garbage, green bins and blue boxes at the road as this may impact snow clearing efforts. Alternate pickup dates will be communicated.

– One Stop Services at Tom Davies Square, including Development Desks for Building Services and Planning Services.

– Provincial Offences Court held at the Lionel E. Lalonde Centre and Provincial Offences Office located at 199 Larch Street.

– Clerk’s Services.

– All Greater Sudbury public libraries.

– All childcare sites (urgent matters can be directed to childrenservices@greatersudbury.ca).

– Children Services located on the 7th floor of 199 Larch (urgent matters can be directed to childrenservices@greatersudbury.ca).

– Ontario Works located on the 9th floor of 199 Larch St. (urgent matters can be directed to 311).

– Greater Sudbury Housing office at 10 Elm St. – the phone line remains open.

– All public landfills and recycling centres.

Also staying closed for a second day are YMCA locations in Sudbury.

“This decision has been made to ensure the safety of our community, as access to our locations continues to be impacted,” the YMCA said in a release. “We continue to work with our partners at the City of Greater Sudbury.”

The closures include child care centres, the YMCA/Centre for Life and the Employment and Immigrant Services Office.

The Y said it expects to reopen on Wednesday.

Environment Canada says the winter storm that hit northeastern Ontario on Sunday and Monday dropped about 43 cm on Sault Ste. Marie and another 34 on Greater Sudbury.

But meteorologist Geoff Coulson said the strong winds meant that some areas of the Sault seemed barely affected, while most of Greater Sudbury seemed buried under the snow.

“This has been a massive March storm right across northeastern Ontario -- one of the biggest probably in quite some time,” Coulson said.

“We are still going to be counting up the snow accumulations for the next number of hours to get a better sense of where it fits historically.”

The storm shut down services in the Sault and Sudbury. Officials with the Rainbow District School Board confirmed that the Lancer Dome outside of Lasalle Secondary School in New Sudbury collapsed because of the storm.

“The dome has collapsed under the weight of the snow,” officials said in an email.

“As a result, all community use is cancelled until further notice. Contractors have been called to assess the situation once the weather permits. We have filed a claim with our insurance provider.”

500 cm of snow in the Sault this winter

Officials in Sault Ste. Marie said in an update later Monday that the recent storm brought the amount of snow that has fallen in the city to 500 cm this year.

“Snow-clearing operations continue across the community as crews work to manage the significant accumulation,” officials said.

Coulson said the only parts of the province that largely missed the storm were areas in the northwest.

“Every other part of the province has some element of this storm,” he said.

Changed to freezing rain

Coulson said snowfall totals would have been higher in Sudbury, but the snow changed to freezing rain earlier Monday morning. North Bay also got a substantial amount of rain.

“That cut down on the snow accumulation,” he said.

“It wasn’t too bad initially in Timmins, Cochrane and Kapuskasing. They were kind of on the northern edge of the storm during the overnight hours. But now some of the heavier snow has moved into those areas ... So this is a massive storm system bringing impacts right across northeastern Ontario.”

In some areas further south, he said the weather system is primarily rain and strong winds, but cold temperatures in the north are wreaking havoc.

“I think the difference with this storm was just the intensity (and) the combination of the huge amounts of snow that it was able to produce, combined with the very, very strong and gusty winds,” Coulson said.

For Tuesday, he said the storm is pulling toward Quebec and will be replaced by cold temperatures. Some snow will fall in some areas, but it should taper off overnight.

“The system will start to weaken a little bit as it pulls further off to the east,” Coulson said.

While there will be some warmer days, he said residents should expect generally colder temperatures for the rest of the month and even into April, he added.

“So, unfortunately, for those who are not fans of winter weather, it looks like we have a fair amount more winter still yet to go.”

Greater Sudbury Hydro is urging customers to take advantage of Ontario’s Save on Energy programs, which offer incentives and guidance aimed at reducing electricity use and lowering monthly bills. The utility says the initiatives can also help ease demand on the grid during peak periods.

Lower energy bills, improved comfort, and greater long-term sustainability are now more accessible for Greater Sudbury Hydro (GSH) customers. Through the province’s Save on Energy programs, residents and businesses can take practical steps to reduce electricity use, cut costs, and improve overall efficiency.

“Energy efficiency is one of the most effective ways customers can manage their electricity costs while reducing overall demand on the grid,” said Jill Kirwan, Energy Business Development at Greater Sudbury Hydro.

Residential customers can access incentives for energy-efficient upgrades such as heat pumps, insulation, appliances, and solar installations, as well as programs designed to help manage electricity use during peak periods.

For businesses and other large energy users, including schools, hospitals, municipalities, and commercial and industrial facilities. The benefits are equally compelling. Programs support a wide range of initiatives, including lighting retrofits, HVAC and equipment upgrades, operational and process improvements, major capital projects, and training and support for staff.

“Save on Energy programs help customers to understand, reduce, and manage their energy costs, while also strengthening the reliability of our local electricity system,” said Kirwan.

More information about available programs and eligibility can be found online.

Greater Sudbury Hydro Inc. distributes electricity to more than 48,300 customers across the City of Greater Sudbury and the Municipality of West Nipissing. We operate 26 substations equipped with modern, computerized technology to deliver reliable electricity to residential and commercial customers while supporting community growth, safety, and long-term prosperity.