Mississauga spent the first half of the week digging out from one of the heaviest single-day snowfalls the region has seen. About 45 centimetres fell on the city on Sunday, Jan. 25. The snow shut city buildings, slowed transit and set off a council debate over cars left on residential streets.
Environment and Climate Change Canada said 46 cm fell at Toronto Pearson International Airport on Sunday, the highest daily snowfall on record there. The storm also made January 2026 the snowiest month at the airport since records began in 1937, with 88.2 cm in all. Volunteer reports compiled by the weather agency put totals across Mississauga and Milton at 30 to 46 cm.
City declares a significant weather event
The city declared a significant weather event and brought in a citywide winter parking restriction at 2 p.m. on Sunday. Libraries, community centres, arenas, cultural facilities and city offices, including City Hall, stayed closed until noon on Monday. The provincial courthouse on Burnhamthorpe Road closed for the day, and matters scheduled there were adjourned.
MiWay urged riders to travel only if necessary on Monday. School routes were cancelled because schools were closed, and the 101 Dundas Express and 126 Burnhamthorpe Express were pulled. The 103 Hurontario Express and 135 Eglinton Express made all local stops.
Crews have been working around the clock to clear major roads for emergency vehicles and transit.
— City of Mississauga, on X
By Monday morning, Mayor Carolyn Parrish said on X that crews had cleared 5,700 kilometres of roads, 3,300 bus stops, 127 kilometres of multi-use trails and 134,000 residential driveway windrows. She said 818 pieces of equipment were in use. The city warned that several more rounds of plowing would be needed, and that snow would have to be hauled away from bridge decks and intersections in the days ahead.
Regional services were also affected. Peel Region closed child care and EarlyON sites and public health clinics on Monday, and warned of delays to garbage and organics pickup. Monday's blue bin collection was cancelled, pushing recycling pickup back by a day for the rest of the week.
Parked cars frustrate plowing
At Wednesday's council meeting, staff said the city issued more than 1,700 parking tickets between the start of the storm and noon on Tuesday, when the declared event ended. Two vehicles were towed. Staff said this is the first winter of the citywide parking restriction and that enforcement has focused on tickets, warnings and education, with towing kept for vehicles that pose a safety risk or block the road.
Several members of council said residents were upset about streets left partly unplowed because of parked cars. Questions focused on an exemption that lets vehicles stay on streets signed for 15-hour parking during a declared event.
I think it is very bad policy — I have concerns
— Mayor Carolyn Parrish, on the 15-hour parking exemption
We really have to get these cars off the road
— Coun. Sue McFadden
Staff said they will review the policy and report back to council at the end of the winter season. Under the restriction, parking on the street during a declared event carries a $150 penalty.
