Buses cancelled, schools closed as another snowstorm hits Vancouver Island

All transit buses in Greater Victoria were cancelled Tuesday morning due to heavy overnight snow. BC Transit says it is working to reopen the bus service on a route-by-route basis.

“Our team will be working hard to get customers to their destination safely and we ask people to please leave more time for their journey,” the transit operator said in a statement. “BC Transit appreciates the patience of our customers during this time.”

A complete list of Greater Victoria bus route statuses is available at the bottom of this article.

Greater Victoria and eastern Vancouver Island remain under a snowfall warning with up to five centimetres expected before noon.

"Snow will continue this morning as an area of low pressure tracks across the south coast," the weather office said, adding that between five and 10 centimetres of new snow fell overnight.

Drivers are advised to adjust their driving to suit road conditions, which can change rapidly.

Several morning flights out of Victoria and Vancouver were cancelled or delayed. Travellers are advised to check with their airline or the latest flight information before heading to the airport.

SCHOOL CLOSURES

The winter weather forced the closure of all schools in the Cowichan Valley School District (SD79).

Schools in the Sooke School District (SD62) will open at noon with no bus pickups to bring students to school.

"We will reassess road conditions later today to decide whether we can offer bus drop-offs after school today," the school district said.

Schools in the Saanich School District (SD63) are closed for the morning while staff evaluate a possible afternoon opening.

Schools are open in the Nanaimo-Ladysmith School District (SD68) but all buses are cancelled, the district said.

All schools are open in the Qualicum School District (SD69), however the district says some buses may be cancelled due to staffing shortages.

Greater Victoria School District (SD61) schools are open and all regular buses are running. All Catholic schools in Victoria are closed due to the weather.

Vancouver Island University’s Nanaimo and Cowichan campuses were closed for the morning but expected to reopen at noon.

Camosun College and the University of Victoria are delaying opening until noon, cancelling all morning classes.

GREATER VICTORIA BUS ROUTE STATUS AT 8 A.M.

R-2 Oak Bay/James Bay - From Oak Bay Marina, regular routing to Douglas then right Superior, left St. lawerence, right Erie to Fisherman's Wharf, then left Dallas, left Douglas to Johnson.

R-3 James Bay - Not running.

R-4 UVic/Downtown - On regular route, not servicing Penwell.

R-5 James bay/Willows - Not running.

R-6 Royal Oak/Downtown - Not servicing Chatterton or Emily Carr. Royal Oak only using West Saanich Rd.

R- 8 Interurban/Oak Bay - Not running.

R- 9 Royal Oak/Uvic - Not running

R- 10 James bay/Royal Jubilee - Not running.

R- 11 Tillicum/Downtown - Not servicing Uplands. Using Landsdowne, Foul Bay to UVic.

R- 12 University Heights/uVic - Not running.

R-14 Vic General/UVic - Regular routing on eastbound to Richmond, left Cedar Hill Cross, right Shelbourne, right McKenzie. To Vic General, using Craigflower/Admirals, right Admirals, left Trans Canada HWY, right Helmcken, to Vic General Hospital.

R- 15 Esquimalt/UVic - Not running.

R- 17 Cedar Hill - Not running.

R-21 Interurban/Downtown - Not servicing Markham Technology Park or Viaduct.

R- 22 Vic General - Not running.

R- 24 Cedar Hill/Tillicum - Not running.

R- 25 Maplewood - Not running.

R-26 Dockyard/UVic - Only servicing Uptown.

R-27 Gordon Head/Downtown - Not servicing Ferndale or Tyndall. Using Laval, Gordon Head, McKenzie, Shelbourne.

R-28 Majestic/Downtown - Not servicing Ash or Majestic. Using McKenzie/Shelbourne, Feltham, Tyndall, Kenmore, Shelbourne.

R- 30 Royal Oak - Not running.

R-31 Royal Oak - Not servicing Glanford. Service to McKenzie, Pat Bay HWY.

R- 32 Cordova Bay - Not running.

R- 39 Westhills - Not running.

R- 43 Belmont - Not running.

R- 46 Dockyard/Westhills - Not running.

R- 47 Goldstream Meadows - Not running.

R- 48 Happy Valley - Not running.

R- 51 - Not running

R-52 Bear Mountain - Not servicing Bear Mountain, Lagoon, Cairndale/Stornoway. Routing via Millstream Roundabout.

R- 54 metchosin - Not running.

R- 55- Not running.

R- 56- Not running.

R- 57- Not running.

R-58 Goldstream Meadows - Not running.

R-59 Traingle Mountain- Not servicing Triangle Mountain. Routing via Wishart, Latoria, Happy Valley.

R-60 Wishart - Not running.

R-61 Sooke - Not servicing grant, Pyrite, or Quartz.. Routing via Sooke Rd., Shields, Eustace, otter Point Sooke to Sooke/Townsend.

R-71 Swartz Bay - Not running.

R-75 Saanichton - Not running.

R-81/82/83 Brentwood/Sidney - Not running.

R-87 Saanichton - Not running.

R-88 Airport - Not running.