For Immediate Release                                                               
Minden, ON
Sunday Dec. 1, 2024
9:30am
Media Release #24-97

Subject: Declaration of a Significant Weather Event

In response to a major snowfall in the area, the Township of Minden Hills has declared a Significant Weather Event at 9:30am local time that will impact travel and services throughout the municipality. This declaration is made pursuant to Ontario Regulation 239/02, Minimum Maintenance Standards for Municipal Highways.

The declaration may change how or when the municipality performs its maintenance operations and may increase the amount of time to bring the roads back to a state of repair. The Township of Minden Hills is advising residents to use caution on restricted access roads, and if you must travel, please use extreme caution as the municipality may not be able to meet its maintenance standards for roads due to heavy snow accumulation.

All Waste Disposal Sites and the Minden Library are currently closed.

The S.G Nesbitt Memorial Arena will be closed at 12:00pm.

Municipal Staff would like to thank the residents and businesses for their understanding and cooperation on this matter.

The Township of Minden Hills will provide updates when the significant weather event has ended.

Please see the full snowfall warning from Environment Canada below.

7:53 AM EST Sunday 1 December 2024

Hazardous lake effect snow squalls ending this morning.

Hazards: Peak snowfall rates of 2 to 5 cm per hour. Very poor to zero visibility at times in heavy snow.

Timing: Ending this morning.

Discussion: Intense snow squalls off Georgian Bay and Lake Huron will move south of the area this morning. As is common with snow squalls, snowfall amounts will be highly variable. Snow squalls cause weather conditions to vary considerably; changes from clear skies to heavy snow within just a few kilometres are common. Road closures are possible. If you must travel, keep others informed of your schedule and destination and carry an emergency kit and mobile phone.

Public Safety Canada encourages everyone to make an emergency plan and get an emergency kit with drinking water, food, medicine, a first-aid kit and a flashlight. For information on emergency plans and kits go to getprepared.gc.ca.

Please continue to monitor alerts and forecasts issued by Environment Canada. To report severe weather, send an email to ONstorm@ec.gc.ca or tweet reports using #ONStorm.

In effect for:

• Haliburton - Minden - Southern Haliburton County

-END-

Contact Information:
Public Works Administration Office
Township of Minden Hills
PO Box 359, 7 Milne Street
Minden, ON K0M 2K0
admin@mindenhills.ca