Toronto set a temperature record on New Year's Day, reaching a high of 12 degrees Celsius and shattering the previous 9 degree C record.
The record was set at about 3 p.m. Saturday, beating out the former record from the same date in 2007.
The higher than usual temperatures didn't go unnoticed at Sunnyside Park, where more than 300 people took a plunge into Lake Ontario at noon. The annual event, Toronto's official Polar Bear Dip, raised money for Habitat for Humanity.
But while Toronto set a record high temperature, the lake is much colder. Police say the water temperature is only about 3 degrees C.
In the east end there was another polar bear dip at Ashbridges Bay.
The Sears Great Canadian Chill was a fundraiser for Sick Kids Hospital and included prizes, entertainment and a costume contest -- but all most people wanted was a big towel and a warm drink after taking the plunge.
And further east, in Ajax, there was another New Year's Day dip at Paradise Beach. More than a hundred people braved the frigid temperatures of Lake Ontario. This was also for a good cause, with money going to a new MRI facility for the Rouge Valley Health system.
