Winter storm brings freezing rain, heavy snow into Ontario and Quebec

MONTREAL — A winter storm swept across Central Canada and the Atlantic region on Wednesday, bringing a mix of heavy rain, freezing rain and heavy snow.

The early hours of the storm caused flooding in some parts of Toronto and knocked out power to tens of thousands of households in Quebec, forcing the cancellation of dozens of flights and the cancellation of classes in a number of Montreal-area schools and universities.

Environment Canada warned that conditions were likely to worsen into the evening and overnight for the southwestern part of Quebec due to the accumulation of ice on tree branches over power lines.

“It’s really the end of the weather event overnight that will cause problems,” Environment Canada meteorologist Giselle Dhookie said.

Meteorologists had previously warned the system could resemble the major ice storm that hit parts of southern Quebec and eastern Ontario in April 2023, when some areas — including Montreal — received about 30 mm of freezing rain, disrupting travel and knocking out power for more than a million people in the two provinces.

Streets in the central Plateau neighbourhood of Montreal appeared mostly deserted on Wednesday morning.

A few car owners had improvised protective coverings — cardboard boxes and plastic tarps — over their windshields to guard from the icy rain.

Downtown Montreal traffic seemed lighter than usual on a rainy afternoon, but some residents carried on with their day, despite the weather.

“I just fell, actually. I’m not wearing my crampons because this morning it wasn’t icy yet when I left,” said Marc Ladouceur, 29, who was meeting a friend for coffee in downtown Montreal.

Trees around Mount Royal were beginning to glaze over with ice, creaking in the wind. Steeper streets such as Pine Avenue and University Street were nearly empty in the late afternoon, with sidewalks coated in a thin layer of ice.

“I’m running late to meet my girlfriend, but I can’t run — it’s too slippery,” said Vincent Larochelle. “I have a good excuse,” he added.

Retired couple Maryse and Denis Tanguay decided to brave the rain to visit the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. “We don’t mind the rain,” said Maryse Tremblay. “It’s a perfect museum day.”

In Toronto, police said flooding had been reported in North York, East York, and Scarborough, and officers warned motorists to exercise caution while driving. Environment Canada warned water could pool on roads and low-lying areas and to watch for washouts near rivers, creeks and culverts.

Quebec’s hydro utility reported more than 90,000 customers were without power, late on Wednesday evening.

The storm was also forecast to bring between 15 to 25 cm of snow and ice pellets in the northern half of New Brunswick, and up to 10 mm of freezing rain in the south.

The conditions also halted service at several stations in the greater Montreal area’s REM light-rail network Wednesday evening, with officials urging passengers to check for service updates before travelling.

Quebec’s Transport Department asked people to postpone non-essential travel.

“If you have to take the road, it’s really important to adjust your speed to the weather and road conditions,” department spokesperson Alexandra Houde said in an interview.

Despite the slippery conditions, some students still made their way to Concordia University’s downtown campus and a few of them could be seen during the day, sitting on couches in a hall outside the shuttered library.

“I work better from school anyway,” said Anny Granger, a second-year English major, who explained she came in to study.

In Ottawa, freezing rain also disrupted traffic, causing havoc for school bus transportation during the day.

In the evening, the Ottawa Senators opened Canadian Tire Centre at 4 p.m. ahead of their game with the Montreal Canadiens, allowing fans to arrive early amid poor weather.

At Montreal and Quebec City airports, early morning flights departed normally, but dozens of later departures had been cancelled by mid-morning. Eric Forest, a spokesperson for Montréal Trudeau International Airport, said more than a third of flights scheduled for Wednesday had been cancelled.

Travellers were advised to check flight schedules with their airline before heading to the airport and to allow extra time for travel.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 11, 2026.

—with files from Stéphane Blais in Montreal, Kathryn Mannie in Toronto and Catherine Morrison in Ottawa.

Charlotte Glorieux, The Canadian Press