School bus cancellations and delays hit York, Peel, Halton, Durham and Simcoe after Thursday storm

Snow cleanup after Thursday’s storm is causing school bus cancellations and delays across the Greater Toronto Area. Light snow is expected Friday with cold wind chills.

Copy link

By Torontoer Staff

Jan 16, 2026

Cleanup from Thursday’s snowstorm continues to disrupt school transportation across the Greater Toronto Area, with multiple bus routes cancelled or delayed in York, Peel, Halton, Durham and Simcoe counties. Forecasts call for light additional snow overnight and a wind chill near -13 C on Friday morning.

Elementary schools in the City of Toronto are on a scheduled PA day, but bus operations affecting other schools and boards remain impacted. Transportation agencies are advising families to check local routing pages for the latest updates before travel.

Toronto

In Toronto a single late bus has been delayed by 25 minutes. That delay affects students travelling to St. John Henry Newman Catholic High School, Theresa Shrine Catholic Elementary School and George B. Little Jr. Public School.

York Region

Student transportation in York Region reported wide delays across the system. Twenty-six routes are affected, touching roughly 20 schools. Most delays are about 10 to 15 minutes, with some routes running up to 35 minutes late. Parents should consult the transportation provider’s online route status for specific stops and timing.

Peel Region

All school transportation in Peel is operating, but commuters should expect delays and reduced service on some rural or gravel roads in Caledon. More than 100 routes reported delays, most between 10 and 15 minutes, while several face delays of up to an hour.

"All school transportation is running in Peel Region on Friday, though students should expect delays due to inclement weather conditions,"
Student Transportation of Peel Region

Three bus routes were cancelled, affecting James Grieve Public School, St. Aidan Catholic Elementary School and Alloa Public School. Several routes will not serve some stops, particularly those on gravel roads. Notable impacted schools include St. Evans Catholic Elementary School, Palgrave Public School, Earnscliffe Senior Public School, Mayfield Secondary School, Robert F. Hall Catholic Secondary School, St. Michael Catholic Secondary School, Lincoln M. Alexander Secondary School and Chinguacousy Secondary School.

Halton Region

Halton cancelled four bus routes, removing service to a number of elementary and secondary schools. Four additional routes remain in service but are delayed.

Cancelled routes stop servicing: George Kennedy Public School, St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Elementary School, St. Catherine of Alexandria Catholic Elementary School, St. Brigid Catholic Elementary School, Georgetown District High School and Christ the King Catholic Secondary School.
Delayed routes include: the service to E.W. Foster Public School, Sam Sherratt Public School and Our Lady of Victory Catholic Elementary School (10 to 15 minutes); Centennial Public School (20 to 30 minutes); and routes to George Kennedy, St. Francis of Assisi and Georgetown District High School (10 to 15 minutes).

Durham Region

Durham Region reported more than 70 delayed buses on Friday morning. Most delays are 10 to 15 minutes, but several routes face longer hold-ups of 30 minutes to an hour.

Longest delays include: Kedron Public School, delayed by about an hour.
Julie Payette Public School, delayed by about 45 minutes.
C.E. Broughton Public School, delayed by about 45 minutes.
St. Wilfrid Catholic School, delayed by about 45 minutes.

Simcoe County

Simcoe County is reporting delays on more than 40 bus routes, with every affected route at least 15 minutes late. Several buses are experiencing lengthy delays, in some cases exceeding 30 minutes.

Maple Ridge Secondary School, delayed by about 40 minutes.
Clearview Meadows Elementary School and Stayner Collegiate Institute, delayed by about an hour.
St. Joseph’s Catholic High School, delayed by about 45 minutes.
W.H. Day Elementary School, delayed by about 40 minutes.
St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Secondary School, delayed by about 35 minutes.

Universities and colleges

Universities and colleges in the region reported classes and on-campus activities running as scheduled on Friday, but asked communities to allow extra travel time while maintenance crews clear parking lots, walkways and bus routes.

"Classes, facilities and dining options at Seneca Polytechnic are expected to reopen on Friday,"
Seneca Polytechnic (social media)

OCAD University confirmed all buildings and activities are open according to regular hours. Institutions emphasised that road and sidewalk conditions may continue to affect arrival times.

How families can stay informed

Transportation providers across the region are updating route status pages throughout the morning. Families should consult their school board or local transportation authority websites and sign up for alerts to get the latest information on cancellations, stop omissions and delay lengths.

Agencies recommend allowing extra travel time, confirming stop service for rural or gravel roads, and planning for longer-than-usual student drop-off and pick-up windows as crews continue cleanup and roads are treated.

Officials said more light snow is expected to end early Friday, but the morning wind chill will make temperatures feel much colder. Parents and caregivers should monitor updates through the morning and check with schools before travel.

schoolstransportationweatherGTAsnow