Wind-chill warnings were lifted in southern Ontario after residents woke up to their coldest morning of the year so far.

Warnings had been issued Monday for the Toronto, London, Hamilton, Milton, Durham Region, York Region and Waterloo areas.

With a low of -18 in Toronto, the winds of 50 kilometres per hour were making it feel like -31 C, which is cold enough freeze exposed skin in 10 minutes.

Northwestern Ontario communities like Dryden and Ignace saw wind-chill measurements dip as low as -37, but no warning was issued.

"We issue wind-chill warnings for different parts of the country depending on how used to cold temperatures people are," Environment Canada climatologist Bob Whitewood told The Canadian Press.

"That's one of the reasons why you'll have colder temperatures further north but not necessarily a warning about it, because people tend to know what to do in those cooler conditions."

On Sunday, Toronto issued an extreme cold weather alert and warned homeless people to seek shelter from the bone-chilling temperatures.

Despite the briskness down south, the Toronto Maple Leafs held an outdoor practice at an East Toronto rink on Monday, one they'd help pay to refurbish.

Students from a nearby elementary school were delighted to watch their heroes play, but they shivered through the workout.

CAA Toronto said they had received 4,000 calls on Monday morning from people requiring a boost.

Elsewhere in Ontario, snowsquall warnings have been issued for the Barrie and Owen Sound areas. Schools were closed in Owen Sound after a weather-related shutdown of all roads in Grey County.

Atlantic Canada recovers

Many school districts in Atlantic Canada were closed Monday in the wake of a winter storm.

All Halifax school districts are closed following the storm that left nearly 10 centimetres of snow behind. Cancellations were reported in the western regions, the Annapolis Valley and parts of the north and east.

Snow and blowing snow has been predicted for Inverness County in Cape Breton.

Districts north of Moncton, N.B. have seen their schools closed today following a snowfall of almost 20 cm. In northern New Brunswick, schools have been closed on the Acadian Peninsula and across the Gaspe district. The exceptions are Dalhousie and Campbellton.

The Eastern School Board is closed on Prince Edward Island.

Southern Newfoundland, the Cabot Straits area and the coastal area of Labrador can also expect some nasty winter weather later today.

In Quebec, there are snowfall or blowing snow warnings for the Gaspe Peninsula, Anticosti Island and the north shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

Winnipeg woke up to temperatures of -31 that felt like -43 with the wind chill.

Regina had temperatures of -21 this morning, with the wind chill making it feel like -31. Saskatoon had early morning temperatures of -20 with no wind chill effect.

Edmonton and Calgary were in the -13 range, with no wind chill.

The nastiest wind chills were to be expected in Nunavut communities like Baker Lake and Cambridge Bay. Temperatures there will feel like -55. Environment Canada warned exposed flesh could freeze within two minutes under those conditions.

The north central interior of B.C. centred around Prince George can expect 15 to 20 cm of snow. The inland North Coast can expect an equivalent amount.

Winds of 70 to 100 km/h are predicted for the Central and North Coast regions.

With a report from CTV Toronto's Matet Nebres and files from The Canadian Press