Wiarton Willie predicts early spring
CTV
As a winter storm bears down on Southern Ontario Wednesday, many are dreaming of an early spring and Wiarton Willie delivered.
As a winter storm bears down on Southern Ontario Wednesday, many are dreaming of an early spring and Wiarton Willie delivered.
For a second year in a row, this year's ceremony was held virtually.
South Bruce Peninsula Mayor Janice Jackson "spoke" to Willie and gave his prediction of an early spring. Willie did not make an appearance and remained inside his box filled with straw.
Last year, Wiarton Willie was nowhere to be seen in a video marking the day, with officials calling an early spring after throwing a fur hat into the air – a move they said recalled the tradition's first edition more than 60 years ago.
Months later, the town of South Bruce Peninsula, where the community of Wiarton is located, publicly acknowledged that Willie had died of an abscessed tooth.
Mayor Jackson said the albino rodent died "quite a while before the last Groundhog Day,'' but didn't specify when.
Meanwhile, Shubenacadie Sam near Halifax went the opposite way and predicted six more weeks of winter. Punxsutawney Phil in Pennsylvania made a similar prognosis to Sam.