A collision between a VIA Rail train and a snowplow in Scarborough has disrupted rail service and closed nearby roads Thursday afternoon, amid a strong snowstorm cleanup effort.

Toronto police said the collision happened around 1:40 p.m. near Scarborough Golf Club Road and Kingston Road.

Officers and emergency crews were called to the scene, where Scarborough Golf Club Road was closed between Dale Avenue and Confederation Drive. Drivers were urged to use alternate routes.

Police confirmed the crash involved a train and a snowplow, with no injuries reported at the scene.

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In a statement from VIA Rail, they said train 644, travelling from Toronto to Ottawa with 205 passengers onboard, was involved in the collision near the Guildwood area.

The company has confirmed that no passengers or employees were hurt.

Emergency services and local authorities were notified shortly after the collision, and rail traffic was halted while crews worked to remove the vehicle from the tracks.

VIA Rail said train 644 is expected to be delayed by approximately three to four hours.

“Additional delays of between 30 minutes and one hour and 30 minutes are also expected for several other trains, including routes 44, 63, 43, 65 and 66. Compensation is being provided in accordance with VIA Rail policy,” the statement further read.

In an update issued at 5 p.m., Metrolinx said two tracks had been cleared for use in both directions, allowing trains to proceed through the area.

However, officials cautioned that delays would continue as crews worked to restore regular schedules, and that some trips could still be modified or cancelled.

Transit riders are advised to check GO Transit and VIA Rail websites for the latest service updates.

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As a major snowstorm caused travel chaos, serious weather alerts, highway closures and school cancellations, some working for Ontario’s Ministry of Transportation were told to head into the office.

Around 9:30 a.m. on Thursday morning, with more than tens of centimetres already on the ground, a manager within the civil service emailed their employees to point out the Ford government’s office mandate.

“Just a reminder that we have a 5-day a week in person requirement,” the email, seen by Global News, said.

It added that the snow meant staff could arrive late and leave early as long as they made an effort to attend.

“Otherwise,” the note concluded, “please take a vacation day, which some … staff are doing today.”

The message was sent after schools in Toronto had announced they would close for the day, and while emergency services and Environment Canada were urging people to avoid all non-essential travel.

“Allow extra time for travel,” the weather agency wrote. “Non-essential travel should be avoided.”

About an hour after telling workers to head into the office or use a vacation day, the directive was revised.

“We are now being advised that if you have your equipment, you may work from home,” the follow-up, sent at 10:35 a.m., said. “Staff to decide for themselves if it’s safe or possible to drive in today. Please use your best judgment and prioritize safety.”

1:40
Slow commute into Toronto amid heavy snowfall

The contradictory messages to some in the Ministry of Transportation are part of a broader pattern of confusion which appeared to play out across the civil service on Thursday.

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At the beginning of January, Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s decree for civil servants to return to the office full-time came into effect, despite there not being space available for all civil servants.

The premier acknowledged early issues with the plan, but maintained it was paramount that public servants return to their desks.

“I think we have room for the majority of people,” Ford said during an appearance at Queen’s Park on Jan. 5.

“We’ll get through this. There’s a little bump; we’ve been working on this for the last little while.”

Thousands of civil servants also submitted requests to work from home or on hybrid schedules, which the government appears to still be assessing.

Thursday’s snowfall, however, presented a new hiccup for the office mandate.

Individual departments appear to have been given discretion to decide for themselves if the snowfall was a legitimate reason to stay at home. According to social media posts from civil servants, some told their staff to stay home, while others ordered them in.

Global News asked the Ford government if others had been told to brave the snowstorm to make it to the office. They did not respond to the question.

Instead, a spokesperson suggested there had not been any central decision on the snow day.

“As part of the OPS in-office standard, managers can approve ad hoc, occasional or temporary remote work requests to provide short-term flexibility for various extenuating circumstances — including inclement weather,” they wrote in a statement.

“As such, an OPS directive was not issued today because local managers already have the discretion to offer this flexibility.”

1:52
Ontario ends remote work for civil servants, orders full return to office in 2026

The office mandate was first announced in August, sparking protests and complaints from unionized workers who rallied at Queen’s Park, arguing they were more efficient with the option to work at home, which became the norm during the COVID-19 pandemic.

AMAPCEO and other public-sector unions forcefully opposed the government’s move to phase out remote work, saying it offers benefits such as improved work-life balance and higher productivity.

A petition launched by AMAPCEO garnered 13,000 signatures in support of a policy reversal.

Ten days after the return officially took place, the government is still refusing to say how much office space it needs to accommodate all civil servants, how much it will cost and if it needs to lease new buildings.

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‘Time to get back to work’: Doug Ford addresses return-to-office mandate for Ontario civil servants

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