TORONTO — The Nova Scotia government is asking Ottawa for help as the province digs out from an “extreme snowfall” that has prompted parts of Cape Breton to declare local states of emergency.

A stalled low-pressure system off the province’s east coast dumped heavy snow across the eastern half of the mainland and in Cape Breton, where preliminary observations showed more than 100 centimetres had piled up in the Sydney area since Friday.

Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston said the snowstorm, the worst the province has seen in 20 years, can be added to a growing list of weather-related disasters that have beset the province since September 2022, when post-tropical storm Fiona made landfall. That storm was followed last year by the largest wildfires in the province’s recorded history, in May and June, and widespread flooding in July.

“Now, we’re talking about a historic snowstorm,” Houston told a news conference. “We’ve had more than our fair share in this province. But I assure you we will dig out.”

According to preliminary reports, between 30 and 50 cm fell across Halifax, but 84 cm was reported at Halifax Stanfield International Airport, just about 30 kilometres away. Scores of flights were cancelled or delayed at the region’s busiest airport, and more than 7,000 power outages were reported across the province Monday morning. By the end of the day, the provincial utility said about 1,800 customers were without power.

AIRLINE UPDATE

Airlines with flexible change policies in place include Air Canada and Porter.

Air Canada has activated its flexible change policy for flights in and out of Sydney (YQY) for Feb. 6, Feb. 7 and Feb. 8. Air Canada has also activated its policy for Feb. 6 for Charlottetown (YYG), Fredericton (YFC), Halifax (YHZ), Moncton (YQM), Saint John, NB (YSJ) and St. John’s, NL (YYT).

Porter’s flexible change policy applies to flights today, Feb. 6, in and out of Charlottetown (YYG), Moncton (YQM) and St. John’s, NL (YYT). Porter also has its policy in place for Thunder Bay (YQT) and Winnipeg (YWG).

With file from The Canadian Press