Delays, restrictions on P.E.I. as winter storm passes

Islanders in central and eastern P.E.I. faced disruptions and challenges as a winter storm swept through the region from Sunday evening into Monday morning.

**Opening delays**

Several schools in Souris, Morell, Montague, and École La-Belle-Cloche were closed on Monday due to the inclement weather. However, all other Public Schools Branch and French-language board schools opened after a one-hour delay. Island Montessori Academy in Charlottetown and Stratford also opened at 9 a.m.

The University of Prince Edward Island’s campus in Charlottetown opened at noon, while the St. Peters Bay campus remained closed for the day. Additionally, the Georgetown and Scotchfort centers of Holland College were closed for the day. By 12:30 p.m., all provincial civil service offices in Kings County had opened.

Due to poor road conditions, Island Waste Management Corporation canceled garbage collections for Route 313, Morell, Melbourne, Lorne Valley, and surrounding areas.

**Travel delays, restrictions**

The Charlottetown Airport experienced delays for the first flight of the day bound for Toronto. Additionally, the Confederation Bridge imposed restrictions on certain classes of vehicles crossing until 1:30 p.m. Officials later reopened the bridge to all traffic, but warned of potential further restrictions due to a wind warning in place until around 10 p.m. on Monday.

A winter storm warning remained in effect for Kings County until mid-afternoon, while a special weather statement for Queens County had ended earlier in the day.

Despite the challenges posed by the winter storm, Islanders in central and eastern P.E.I. persevered through the disruptions and continued with their daily routines as best as they could.