Highway 11 lanes to reopen after snowstorm blasted Ontario's cottage country, stranding motorists

From road closures, power outages, weather declarations and nonstop shoveling, Muskoka residents were faced with nearly a metre of persistent snowfall this weekend.

According to Environment Canada, storm accumulations reached 140 centimetres of snow in Gravenhurst and 125 centimetres in Bracebridge.Near-whiteout conditions near Orillia Ont., on Sat., Nov. 30, 2024 (CTV News/David Sullivan)The heavy snowfall led to the closure of Highway 11 in both directions between Orillia and Huntsville on Saturday, with the closure persisting through to Monday morning.

OPP Sgt. Kerry Schmidt said police expect the northbound lanes along Highway 11 to reopen around noon Monday from West Street in Orillia to Highway 60 in Huntsville.

"There will be limited access. Not every exit and entrance will be open in that stretch," he explained.

Except for Luigi Road, all ramps are cleared.

Schmidt noted southbound lanes are expected to reopen sometime around 4 p.m. on Monday.

Additionally, a dozen trucks were trapped on Country Road 6 in Cooper's Falls near Washago Monday morning.

• Photo Gallery | Snowstorm wreaks havoc across Simcoe Muskoka

Emergency crews and motorists confirmed to CTV News that hundreds of vehicles were stranded without food or water, some for nearly 30 hours.

On Saturday, fire crews helped bring motorists to Gravenhurst Town Hall via side-by-side transports for access to generators amid power outages.Lakeland Power and Elexicon Energy – the respective suppliers of electricity for Bracebridge and Gravenhurst – and Hydro One all indicated via their outage maps that tens of thousands of customers were without power on Saturday.

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The Town of Gravenhurst declared a state of emergency on Sunday after the District Municipality of Muskoka had declared a ‘Significant Weather Event’ on Saturday. 

Premier Doug Ford posted to social media Monday morning stating the province was working closely with authorities in Gravenhurst and across Muskoka to ensure they have everything they need.

“Provincial resources are on hand and more are en route to help where needed. I’m relieved that there are no injuries or fatalities reported.”

Ford encouraged residents to stay home until power is restored and roads and highways are safely reopened.

Beaver Creek Institution isn’t immune to the power outage, having to switch over to its generator. “We are closely monitoring weather conditions and are prepared to make adjustments as needed to ensure secure access to essential services,” Correctional Service Canada noted in an email to CTV News.

Meanwhile, drivers who are low on fuel are advised to find a safe place to park until they can safely access a gas station, or until fuel can be brought to them.

OPP add that locals should only dial 911 for life-threatening situations and should contact the non-emergency line at 1-888-310-1122 for all other situations.