Toronto recently experienced a significant snowfall, triggering memories of a historic blizzard that gripped the city nearly three decades ago. Sunday’s storm, while substantial, begs the question: how does it truly compare to the paralyzing conditions of January 1999?
Environment Canada reported Toronto’s city centre received approximately 56 centimetres of snow on Sunday, with Pearson Airport recording 46 centimetres. However, dedicated volunteer observers measured even higher accumulations – 61 centimetres downtown and a staggering 65 centimetres in Scarborough, along the shores of Lake Ontario.
The storm was fueled by a powerful low-pressure system tracking south of the Great Lakes, unleashing widespread snowfall across southern Ontario. Visibility plummeted, creating treacherous driving conditions and causing significant disruptions to transportation networks throughout the region.
The 46 centimetres at Pearson Airport marked a new daily record, and the total January snowfall of 88.2 centimetres is the highest the city has seen since 1937, when official weather recording began. Public transit faced considerable challenges, with service interruptions on multiple TTC lines and delays impacting GO Transit routes.
Provincial police responded to approximately 200 collisions and aided over 150 vehicles stranded in ditches. City crews, bolstered by 600 plows and 1,300 personnel, worked tirelessly to clear roads and sidewalks, with Mayor Olivia Chow pledging a complete clearing operation.
The winter of 1999, however, presented a more prolonged and severe challenge. The month began with an initial snowfall of 40 centimetres, followed by another storm the subsequent weekend. But the worst was yet to come.
Less than a week later, a major blizzard descended upon Toronto, dumping an additional 78 centimetres of snow. By January 13th, the city was buried under a total of 118 centimetres, effectively bringing it to a standstill.
Roads became impassable, sections of the TTC were shut down, flights at Pearson Airport were cancelled, and schools closed their doors. The situation grew so dire that then-Mayor Mel Lastman made the unprecedented decision to call in the Canadian Armed Forces for assistance.
Hundreds of soldiers from Petawawa were deployed to help dig out the city, a move that drew both relief and ridicule from across the country. Lastman defended his decision, stating that the safety of Toronto’s residents was his paramount concern.
After two days, the military assistance was scaled back, and Lastman expressed his gratitude to the soldiers for their invaluable service. They had focused on clearing crucial catch basins and ensuring access to fire hydrants, vital for public safety.
Beyond snow removal, the soldiers also provided aid to stranded travellers and transported individuals to hospitals when ambulances were unable to navigate the snow-choked streets. Lastman, reflecting on the situation, famously declared, “Better safe than sorry.”
While Sunday’s snowfall was substantial, the sheer volume and prolonged impact of the 1999 blizzard remain etched in the memories of those who lived through it, a stark reminder of nature’s power and the city’s resilience.
