Snow squalls blanket Clearview Township, keeping crews and residents busy

Unrelenting snow squalls kept residents and road crews in Clearview Township on their toes Thursday, including one CTV News reporter.

The west side of Simcoe County, particularly New Lowell, bore the brunt of the storm, with residents waking up to heavy snow accumulation and challenging driving conditions.

Tow truck operators were kept busy assisting stranded drivers, including CTV’s Rob Cooper, who ended up in the ditch on a rural concession road.

A CTV News vehicle gets stuck in a ditch during a snowstorm in Clearview Township on Thurs., Jan. 9, 2025. (CTV News/Rob Cooper)

“A lot of recovery work and a lot of boosts today. It’s going to be a busy day,” said Jason Watson of B & B Towing, who helped Cooper get back on the road.

Residents like Darren Lemon were hard at work clearing snow. “This is my mom’s house, and I just did my own, and now I’m returning the favor to my mom,” he said while shoveling.

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Clearview Township’s Public Works Department faced its own challenges, managing 536 kilometers of roads and an additional 60 kilometers of sidewalks. According to road operations manager Dan Perrault, the snow squall has been relentless since Tuesday.

“It’s been a steady streamer coming off Georgian Bay from Duntroon down right here to New Lowell,” Perrault said. “Barrie received a bunch of snow over the weekend, and we didn’t have much here. Since Tuesday morning, the squall set its sights right over top of us, and it hasn’t really let up.”

Crews try to stay on top of clearing the roads during a snowstorm in Clearview Township on Thurs., Jan. 9, 2025. (CTV News/Rob Cooper)

While some residents acknowledged the difficulties, others noted the area has been spared worse conditions seen in nearby regions. “It is our turn. We didn’t get the three feet all at once that Oro-Medonte and Horseshoe did,” one resident said.

A woman walks her dog during snow squalls in Clearview Township on Thurs., Jan. 9, 2025. (CTV News/Rob Cooper)

In Stayner, snow piles along Main Street continued to grow as people cautiously navigated the conditions. “A little treacherous driving around out on the back roads and country roads that had or had not been plowed. It is what it is. Just another day,” said another local.

Snow-clearing crews are expected to remain on the job until all roads are cleared. With more snow and strong winds in the forecast, residents and drivers are urged to stay prepared and drive carefully.

With files from CTV's Rob Cooper