As winter approaches, many Ontario families may wake up wondering whether school buses will be canceled during severe weather.
But calling for a transportation waiver isn't as simple as checking the forecast, and the process can vary greatly from one school to another.
The Toronto District School Board (TDSB), one of Canada's largest school boards, says on its website that decisions to cancel buses or close schools are made early in the morning by a team that includes the principal, vice-principal, transportation staff and public relations specialists.
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The team checks weather forecasts, road conditions and safety risks and posts cancellations on the TDSB website and social media by 6 a.m.
About 93 percent of students do not ride a school bus, the TDSB said, adding that the board often cancels transportation while keeping schools open; closing all schools would keep 239,000 students home and leave many families without child care.
Meanwhile, the York District School Board (YRDSB) said on its website that bus cancellations are also being decided before 6am.
When school transport is cancelled, all buses and dedicated transport services are cancelled, both in the morning and in the afternoon, the YRDSB added. Students will not be marked absent on these days and families will be able to decide if it is safe to send their children to school.
The Ottawa Student Transportation Authority (OSTA), which manages transportation for the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board, told Global News it is checking the forecast, checking radar, monitoring conditions and consulting with neighboring transportation.
OSTA begins notifying families at approximately 5:30 a.m. via its website and social media about the cancellation.
As winter weather intensifies across Ontario, families are advised to closely monitor advisory websites and local forecasts. School boards say the priority is simple: keep students and drivers safe during winter's worst days.
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