The Durham District School Board (DDSB) posted on Sunday, Jan. 25 that all DDSB schools and school-based childcare sites will be closed to students and staff on Monday, January 26, 2026. The system-wide shutdown is in response to a winter storm that the board cited as bringing significant snowfall and hazardous travel conditions across Durham Region.
The closure followed monitoring and recommendations from Durham Student Transportation Services (DSTS), which works with municipal road crews and weather services to assess conditions, and came as the Region of Durham issued winter-storm warnings and related advisories about hazardous roads. While DSTS and boards sometimes cancel bus service only, this event triggered a full closure of school buildings and school-based childcare programs.
All school-based before- and after-school childcare programs are cancelled for the day. Families should check with their individual childcare providers about credits or refunds, as those arrangements are typically handled by the providers in accordance with DDSB guidance.
The DDSB closure notice did not provide details about live remote instruction. Families should check with their school or classroom teacher for posted assignments or learning activities; the board has in recent years prioritized asynchronous (posted) work when schools are closed for severe weather, consistent with provincial guidance on remote and online learning.
