Waterloo region digging out after a messy winter storm
Residents in Waterloo region continue to dig out after Wednesday’s winter storm.
According to Environment Canada, around 18 centimetres fell in Kitchener, with close to 20 centimetres in northwestern areas of Waterloo and Wellington.
The snowfall caused hazardous road conditions on Wednesday.
Waterloo regional police reports there were 67 crashes from 8:30 a.m. Wednesday to 8:30 a.m. Thursday. Police said six of those crashes caused injury.
ROADWAY CLEAN-UP
Snow events were declared in each of the Tri-Cities on Wednesday, banning parking on city streets while crews worked to clear the mess.
As of 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Kitchener was set to lift its snow event at 8 p.m, while snow events in Waterloo and Cambridge were expected to end at midnight.
CTV News reached out to both the cities of Kitchener and Waterloo, as well as the Region of Waterloo for comment on snow removal efforts, but interviews were not granted.
“City crews were kept busy clearing and re-clearing main and arterial roads as the snow continued," a spokesperson for the City of Waterloo said in an emailed statement. "Once the snow stopped falling, they were able to make their way into neighbourhoods to begin clearing residential roads. The street parking ban remains in effect until midnight tonight, when we expect crews to have completed their routes.”
RESIDENTS DIG OUT
Some residents who spoke to CTV News said they didn’t mind the winter wallop.
“We can’t complain. Getting our first big snowfall at the end of January, there’s only eight more weeks left in winter, so it’s all good,” said area resident Shirley Fraser.
Another resident said snow can be fun.
“I have granddaughters that I’m going to watch this afternoon and I know they’re going to be out in it making snow angels and snowmen so you got to look at snow through the eyes of a kid, right? Then you can enjoy it,” said Linda Johnston.
Temperatures are set to drop over the coming days so the snow is expected to stick to the ground instead of just melt away.
"[It] wasn't too bad, typical end of January weather," said Kitchener resident Jamie Carey. "I'm sure more is going to come in February."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Adviser on unmarked graves says some landowners are refusing access for searches
As some private landowners restrict residential school survivors from performing ceremony or searching their properties for possible unmarked graves, a federal minister says Ottawa is open to legislating new protections for the possible burial sites.

Nordstrom liquidation sales underwhelm Canadians as most items marked down 5 per cent
The first day of Nordstrom's liquidation sale began on Tuesday, but some shoppers walked away underwhelmed, as most items were only marked down five per cent.
These foods cost more in Canada, despite inflation rate slowdown
Overall inflation in Canada is cooling, according to just-released data, but the trend is not being reflected at grocery stores, where prices for some items continue to grow.
Trudeau's top aide Telford to testify, amid Hill drama over foreign interference
After weeks of resistance, and ahead of a vote that could have compelled it to happen, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s office announced Tuesday that his chief of staff Katie Telford will testify about foreign election interference, before a committee that has been studying the issue for months.
Gould says passport application backlog 'completely eliminated', announces online status checker
Canada's passport application backlog has been 'completely eliminated,' according to the minister responsible for the file.
Via Rail apologizes after Muslim man told not to pray at Ottawa train station
Via Rail is apologizing after a Muslim man was told he couldn't pray at the Ottawa train station.
Kitchen renovation unearths paintings nearly 400 years old
Murals believed to be nearly 400 years old have been discovered at an apartment in northern England following a kitchen renovation.
Plastics at all stages detrimental to human health, analysis finds
A collaborative new report has detailed the wide-ranging health impacts of plastics, right from their production all the way to their use and eventual disposal.
Johnston's mandate as special rapporteur on foreign interference has been released
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has released foreign interference special rapporteur David Johnston's mandate, which instructs the former governor general to determine by May 23 whether a public inquiry is necessary.