All schools in Thunder Bay, Superior-Greenstone area closed as more wintry weather coming

While the weather was relatively quiet in the Thunder Bay, Ont. area overnight, Environment Canada says that break "is about to come to an end."

The weather service's early morning forecast Thursday calls for more freezing rain and ice pellets to hit the city of Thunder Bay, Superior West and Superior North regions.  Freezing rain warnings remain in effect for those areas.

Education officials confirmed Thursday morning that all schools in the following boards are closed:

• Lakehead Public Schools,
• Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board,
•  Aurora Borealis French Catholic School Board,
• Thunder Bay Christian School,
• Superior-Greenstone School Board,
• Superior North Catholic District School Board,

Lakehead University and Confederation College also said classes are cancelled at their Thunder Bay campuses.

In addition, the following child care centres are closed:

• All city-run centres, including Grace Remus Child Care Centre, Ogden Child Care Centre, Woodcrest Child Care Centre and Algoma Child Care Centre,
• Any child care centre located in a school,
• Little Lions Waldorf Daycare and Kindergarten — all sites closed,
• Mahmowenchike Family Development Centre — both sites closed,
• Footsteps Child Care Centres — all sites closed,
• Dilico Anishinabek Family Care — all services,
• WJ Griffis Children's Centre,
• KinderPlace Child Care Centre,
• Step By Step Child Care,
• Confederation College Children and Family Centre,
• Lakehead University's Nanabijou Childcare Centre,

The City of Thunder Bay also announced that garbage collection is suspended again Thursday.

Other closures and cancellations include:

• Canadian Mental Health Association offices,
• All Thunder Bay District Health Unit offices,
• Children's Aid Society offices,
• Children's Centre Thunder Bay,
• George Jeffrey Children's Centre,
• NorWest Community Health Centres,
• All services provided by the Thunder Bay District Social Services Administration Board,

A number of flights scheduled out of the Thunder Bay International Airport Thursday were also delayed or cancelled.

The day's worth of ice on Wednesday coated the city in a slick shell. Transit ran throughout the day — as it will again on Thursday — but city officials have warned to expect delays.

"It speaks to the way it is up here in the north," he told CBC News. "One day you're on the golf course, the next, you're skating to work."

Watch out for falling tree branches: Environment Canada

Environment Canada also warned that winds gusting up to 40 km/h could knock down ice-covered tree branches throughout the day and cause widespread power outages if they hit hydro lines.

In addition, the weather service recommended that people not travel as highways, roads, sidewalks and parking lots will become hazardous.

Public Safety Canada also encourages everyone to make an emergency plan and get an emergency kit with drinking water, food, medicine, a first-aid kit and a flashlight, weather officials said.

In Thunder Bay, city road sanders were out Wednesday evening and early Thursday morning, municipal officials said in a written release, adding that they will continue to work throughout the day.

"Our crews have been working very hard throughout the night to manage icy conditions on city roads and sidewalks," Thunder Bay City Manager, Norm Gale was quoted as saying.

"We continue to monitor alerts and forecasts issued by Environment Canada, and are urging residents to take extra care if they must go out."