Here's what's closed Thursday for the storm
Many students in western Quebec have today off, while libraries and community centres in Ottawa will also see partial closures as a fierce winter storm rolls through the region.
A wide swath of eastern Ontario and western Quebec is currently under a winter storm warning, with Environment Canada forecasting as much as 20 more centimetres of snow could fall on the nation's capital Thursday afternoon.
Ottawa didn't get nearly as much snow overnight as was first suspected.
The forecast meant library branches in Ottawa will be closed until at least noon, as will all recreation or cultural facilities — aside from nine centres being used as balloting stations in Thursday's provincial byelections in Ottawa–Vanier and Orléans.
While those nine will remain open for voting, programming and rentals will be cancelled Thursday morning.
In western Quebec, students with the Western Quebec School Board, the Commission Scolaire des Portages-de-l'Outaouais, the Commission scolaire au Cœur-des-Vallées and the Commission scolaire des Draveurs will all have the day off, as the boards have cancelled all classes.
Board-run daycares will also be closed Thursday.
The City of Gatineau has pushed back garbage collection today and tomorrow by a day.
School buses are cancelled across eastern Ontario.
Algonquin College has closed its Pembroke campus Thursday. Its other campuses are open.
Many flights in and out of the Ottawa International Airport are delayed and cancelled this morning; the airport authority was already warning about late arrivals and departures as the first few flakes started falling Wednesday.
The Wolfe Island Ferry is not running today either.
Severe weather plan initiated
Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson has urged residents to work from home, and some federal departments have also made similar pitches to their employees.
OC Transpo, meanwhile, has implemented its "severe weather plan," meaning there will be more workers out helping commuters get around during the storm.
Rideau Transit Maintenance and its contractors will be out clearing snow from the LRT tracks and dispersing salt in the train stations.
Those who do take buses or trains tomorrow should prepare for longer-than-normal travel times, OC Transpo said.
The city has also cancelled Thursday's planning committee meeting, with the majority of items that were to be considered tomorrow deferred until they next meet March 26.
Ottawa's overnight on-street parking ban is in effect from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. for everyone except monthly pass holders.
Environment Canada says the snow should taper off to flurries by late Thursday.
