Think we had it bad on Thursday? On Dec. 11, 1944, 70 years ago, Toronto was hit with its worst snowfall.

Twenty-one people died as a result of the great Toronto snowstorm of 1944, in which the Toronto Daily Star reported that "twenty-two and one-half inches" (57 cm) of snow fell in a single continuous storm, 48 cm in one day.

Wind and snow knocked over this streetcar on Queen St. E. near Mutual St., trapping 170 people and killing one person. Police and TTC workers spent 45 minutes chopping with axes to free passengers.



The Toronto Daily Star subhead the next day read "Whole City Stopped as If by Giant Hand."

The weather forecast for that day predicted four to 12 inches for Dec. 11, not even close to the amount of snow that besieged the city, according to Mike Filey in A Toronto Album 2: More Glimpses of the City That Was.



Three thousand teachers and almost 100,000 children in Toronto got a snow day. When superintendent of schools Dr. C.C. Goldring "arose and looked out his window," he declared: "It would be practically impossible to open the schools."



All traffic and businesses in the city were shut down, including essential deliveries of bread and milk, as well as Eaton's and Simpson's department stores.

The Toronto Stock Exchange was closed on Dec. 12, 1944, with employees unable to make it in time for the "gong sounding the opening of trading at 10 a.m," the Star reported.

Closed too, was the city's ammunition factory — a big deal considering the storm happened during World War II.

Mayor Frederick Conboy urged workers to stay home unless they were of "an essential nature." "We want all available transportation facilities to bring war workers to their jobs," he said from home, unable himself to get to city hall.

Councillor R.H. Saunders estimated the storm would cost the city $40,000 a day until it was cleaned up.

Thirteen of the 21 storm-related deaths came as a result of heart attacks caused by overexertion as people shovelled snow to dig themselves out of their homes.



Chief coroner Dr. Smirie Lawson, in announcing storm deaths, issued this warning: "No man over 50 who is not used to hard work should make any attempt to shovel this deep snow.

"The strain of moving the drifts is terrific on the heart. It is better to get some young fellow to do it even if it costs a few cents."



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Residents loaded excess snow onto railroad cars.



On Dec. 13, 1944, the Toronto Daily Star ran these photos on page 2, saying it was "'snow use' hoping you can go anywhere in that car, anyway."



Three days later, Toronto was operating at "50 per cent of normal," with people "emerging for the first time" since the storm.

