Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement for the Barrie, Collingwood, and Hillsdale area, warning of brief but intense snowfall that is expected to impact road conditions on Tuesday, April 7, 2026. Residents should prepare for 4 to 10 centimetres of snow, which will likely affect the morning commute as visibility drops due to heavy snow and blowing snow.
The primary concern for drivers is reduced visibility rather than total accumulation. Gusty winds reaching 60 kilometres per hour are expected, which will create difficult driving conditions throughout the morning. Temperatures will remain cold, with a morning wind chill of minus 15 and a daytime high of minus 3 degrees. The snow is expected to taper off by the afternoon, with clearing anticipated late in the morning.
The Town of Collingwood Public Works Department manages snow removal using a six-route priority system. Under this policy, crews clear arterial roads—including Highway 26, Hurontario Street, and Mountain Road—first. Once these high-traffic routes are clear, crews move to bus routes, collector roads, and finally, residential streets.
Motorists are encouraged to monitor real-time road conditions through Ontario 511 before heading out. While residents can report severe weather to Environment Canada via email at [email protected] or on the social media platform X using the hashtag #ONStorm, they should remain alert for rapidly changing and deteriorating travel conditions throughout the morning.
