Toronto enters 2018 in the midst of an extreme cold spell that witnessed temperatures plummet to -22C overnight. It's so cold that organizers cancelled the Polar Bear Dip for the first time in 13 years. 

"Unfortunately due to ice conditions at Sunnyside Beach and in consideration of participant safety we have made the difficult decision to cancel the Toronto Polar Bear Dip," reads a statement released before the event was scheduled to take place today at noon. 

Unfortunately due to ice conditions at Sunnyside Beach and in consideration of participant safety we have made the difficult decision to cancel the Toronto Polar Bear Dip for the first time in 13 years.

— Toronto Polar Bear (@TOPolarBearClub) January 1, 2018

If you've driven by Sunnyside over the last few days, you might have noticed one of the major complicating factors: the lake has frozen inside the breakwall where the swim normally takes place. 

"Today we have to consider the safety of everyone first and foremost," organizers explain. "We will be exploring the possibility of running the event on a later date."

In the meantime, would-be participants are being encouraged to "jump in a snowbank or make snow angels in your bathing suit." Honestly, that sounds almost as scary as the icy dip!