New West schools are open, but Douglas College is closed due to an overnight snowfall.
Douglas College announced on the morning of Tuesday, Feb. 4 that its New Westminster and Coquitlam campuses are closed today due to the effects of severe winter weather conditions. The campus buildings will remain open, but all in-person services, including food, library, bookstore, and enrolment services, will be unavailable.
Students are advised to check their college email and/or Blackboard to determine the status of classes, as some will be moved online or cancelled. Online classes will continue as scheduled.
New Westminster Schools announced that all schools in the district will be open today. A notice said that Queensborough buses are running, but special needs buses are not operating today.
“As your family’s well-being is our top priority, we will excuse students who are absent on non-closure days because they are unable to travel safely during inclement weather,” said the notice. “If you feel your child cannot journey to and from school due to hazardous conditions, kindly report their absence with their schools as usual.”
According to social media posts, some daycare centres in New Westminster may be closed today due to the weather.
All City of New Westminster services are operating today.
“All facilities are open today,” said Ashleigh Young, the city’s manager of communications. “The only thing that might be impacted is solid waste collection as our trucks may have difficulty accessing certain areas. Residents are advised to clear snow off their carts so drivers can see the lid colour and recycling collection will be prioritized. If we are unable to collect today, please leave carts out and we’ll come back as soon as possible.”
If anything changes throughout the day, the City of New Westminster will be posting updates on its website and social media channels.
Please be advised all district schools are open today, February 4, 2025.
— NewWestSchools (@newwestschools) February 4, 2025
If you feel your child cannot journey to and from school due to hazardous conditions, kindly report their absence with their schools as usual.#SD40 #newwestminster #newwest pic.twitter.com/NRClYSTxsm
In response to the overnight snowfall, TransLink is encouraging customers to build extra travel time in their commute, as there may be delays in service Tuesday morning due to the weather and road conditions.
All three SkyTrain lines (Expo, Millennium and Canada lines) are running. TransLink reports the Expo and Canada lines are operating with normal service.
“SkyTrain attendants are positioned at the front of Millennium Line trains to prevent emergency braking caused by snow and freezing temperatures, resulting in lower-than-usual frequencies,” said the TransLink notice. “Millennium Line customers should plan an extra 10 to 15 minutes.”
For folks travelling by bus, TransLink said service is being provided on every route, but there may be some delays due to road conditions. As the weather changes, modifications to service may be made.
TransLink recommends that customers check their specific route for impacts before going out. Because weather and road conditions can change quickly, TransLink noted it will continue to update customers through transit alerts.
“TransLink is coordinating with municipalities to ensure priority roads are cleared,” said the notice.
According to TransLink, HandyDART is prioritizing customers with medical appointments, work, or school as snow remains on many local or side roads. Service availability may vary depending on local conditions.
