As the snow continues to float down over Vancouver Island, the Victoria and Saanich police departments are making a rare request on Saturday: please stay home.
This ask is not COVID-19 related. Police are asking everyone to remain in their homes if they can because of the dangerous driving conditions that the latest dump of snow has caused.
VicPD says many major roads are currently impassable, and officers have already responded to several vehicle collisions.
Saanich Police also says despite the hard work of crews, many roads in the municipality are also impossible to drive through.
“If you must drive, ensure that your vehicle is properly equipped, leave yourself plenty of time to reach your destination, drive slowly, and make sure to clear off all snow from your vehicle,” said Saanich Police in a statement.
No major injuries have been reported yet, but police say driving in this weather is a risk that you shouldn’t take if you don’t have to.
ALERT | Please avoid all non-essential travel. Many side roads are impassable this morning. @CityOfVictoria & @EsquimaltBC crews are working around the clock to keep main roads open. If you can, stay home. #yyjtraffic
— Victoria Police (@vicpdcanada) February 13, 2021
“While City of Victoria and Township of Esquimalt crews are working around the clock, significant amounts of snow continue to fall. If you can, please stay home,” urges the Victoria Police.
On Friday night, the forecasted “significant amount of snow” fell on Greater Victoria and many parts of Vancouver Island. According to Environment Canada, the Island is enduring a cold snap, and the snow could continue to fall throughout the weekend.
READ MORE: Significant amounts of snow expected across Vancouver Island on Friday night
Rebecca Lawrence
