Several GTA school boards to close schools on Friday due to winter storm
Several Greater Toronto Area school boards say they will close their schools on Friday due to an impending winter storm.
The Toronto District School Board, Toronto Catholic District School Board, York Catholic District School Board and Durham District School Board say they will close because of the weather.
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The TDSB said in a statement that it made the decision with the TCDSB because of the forecast, which calls for snow, strong winds and cold windchill values. The GTA is currently under a winter storm warning, with the storm expected on Friday and Saturday.
"We recognize that these decisions can have a significant impact on thousands of families across Toronto and are not taken lightly, however given the current weather forecast, we felt it was prudent to make this decision now to provide families and staff with as much notice as possible," the TDSB said.
Avoid non-essential travel, says weather agency
Environment Canada has issued a winter storm warning for the GTA, with the storm expected on Friday and Saturday.
The GTA is expected to see five to 15 centimetres of snow by Saturday morning, ahead of the busy holiday travel period.
The federal weather agency urges people to avoid "non-essential" travel during the storm, saying a potential flash freeze on Friday morning could make roads and sidewalks alike icy and treacherous.
Other school boards will close their schools on Friday, not because of the weather, but because the closures were scheduled according to their calendars. These boards include Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board and Halton District School Board.
The TDSB said child care centres and before and after school programs located in its schools will also be closed and all permits will be cancelled for the day. All in-person Continuing Education after school and evening courses are also cancelled on Friday. Those courses include International Languages Elementary and African Heritage, Learn4Life Community Programs and Adult ESL.
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This article was originally published for CBC News.
Thumbnail image: Getty Images/Stock photo
