Weather issues: 1)Highway 11 closed following 40-vehicle pile-up north of Barrie; 2)Closures & Cancellations January 23rd

1)Highway 11 closed following 40-vehicle pile-up north of Barrie

Courtesy Barrie360.com

By Ian MacLennan, January 23, 2026

At least one person was trapped following a multi-vehicle collision on Highway 11 just north of Barrie.

It happened in the southbound lanes near Penetanguishene Road around 10:30 Friday morning.

In a post on social media, Oro-Medonte Township Fire Chief Roree Payment said the collision involved at least 40 vehicles, and one person was trapped, with multiple vehicles on fire “impinging” on a gasoline tanker truck.

As many as two dozen motorists were evacuated from their vehicles.

Snow squall and cold warnings have been posted for much of the region.

Ontario Provincial Police posted to X that injuries are non-life-threatening.

Even where there are no flurries or squalls, visibility on area roads has been reduced to zero at times, especially in open areas, due to blowing and drifting snow.

Highway 11 is now closed in both directions from Penetanguishene Road to Line 4 in Oro-Medonte for the clean-up.

2)Closures & Cancellations – Jan. 23

Due to the poor road and weather conditions, all in-person classes, exams, and activities at Lakehead’s Orillia Campus are cancelled. Online learning activities will continue as scheduled. The campus remains open.

The Knights of Columbus free-throw basketball event at Patrick Fogarty C.S.C. in Orillia has been cancelled due to the weather.

Township Administration Centre will be closing at 3 p.m.

Oro-Medonte Community Arena closed effective immediately for the day/evening

Simcoe Woods Community Centre closed effective immediately for the day/evening for programming.

The City of Barrie’s Mayor’s Innovation Awards event has been cancelled due to inclement weather. Details about another event to celebrate the winners will be confirmed at a later date.

Georgian College’s Owen Sound Campus is closed as of 4 p.m. All afternoon/evening in-person labs and learning activities are cancelled.