Most educational institutions were shut down, and numerous flights to and from Halifax airport were canceled on Monday due to a significant winter storm hitting Nova Scotia.
The snowfall is predicted to persist until Tuesday, potentially bringing over 40 centimeters of snow to certain areas of the province.
Schools throughout mainland Nova Scotia, as well as many post-secondary campuses such as Dalhousie University, were closed. Nova Scotia Community College campuses were also shuttered, with the Sydney location set to close at 4 p.m. local time.
Fred Tilley, the Public Works Minister, mentioned in an interview with CBC’s Information Morning Nova Scotia that the province had deployed around 400 snow-clearing units.
Further snow accumulation is anticipated primarily in the northeast of the province, including Cape Breton, with an additional 15 to 25 cm expected by Tuesday evening. Annapolis Valley, Hants, and Halifax counties are likely to receive 5 to 15 cm of snow, with lesser amounts in the southwest.
Winter storms have affected parts of the United States and Eastern Canada, with Toronto experiencing up to 60 centimeters of snowfall.
Jessica Kinney, a spokesperson for Halifax International Airport Authority, explained that flight disruptions in Halifax could also be due to adverse weather conditions in other cities.
Halifax Regional Municipality closed its offices and implemented a parking ban overnight to facilitate road clearing operations.
Mayor Andy Fillmore emphasized the importance of maintaining transit operations, considering the extensive street and sidewalk network in Halifax that requires clearing, which he described as a challenging task.
Nova Scotia Power lifted the energy conservation warning issued over the weekend due to increased demand for heating during the cold weather. The utility requested customers to reduce energy consumption during peak periods, but this measure was no longer necessary as only a few customers were without power.
Residents in Cape Breton expressed dissatisfaction with Nova Scotia Power’s energy conservation request, particularly following a recent winter storm that caused widespread power outages in the region.
Nova Scotia Power is investing $1.3 billion over five years to enhance grid reliability and has intensified tree-trimming efforts to prevent outages like the one experienced last week.
The previous outage was caused by heavy, wet snow accumulating on equipment, leading to tree branches falling on power lines.
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