ACR LTT ACFT FRONT WINDSHIELD CRACKED AT HIGH PRESSURIZED CRUISE ALT RESULTING IN DIVERTING TO LAND.

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WE HAD DEPARTED YYZ AT XX30 LCL. IT WAS MY (CAPT'S) LEG TO FLY. ON CLB OUT; I TURNED THE WINDSHIELD HEAT PLUS ENG ANTI-ICE ON ABOUT 2000 MSL. THE SYS REMAINED ON THROUGH THE CLB UNTIL WE GOT ON TOP OF THE CLOUDS AT ABOUT 14300 MSL. I TURNED OFF THE ENG ANTI-ICE BUT LEFT THE WINDSHIELD HEAT ON. THEY WOULD BE WARM THEN FOR OUR DSCNT. WE WERE IN THE CLR WITH A SMOOTH RIDE AT FL200; OUTSIDE AIR TEMP -20 DEG C. WE HAD BEEN ENRTE APPROX 50 MINS WHEN WE HEARD A BANG LIKE A MUFFLED SHOT. WE BOTH REACTED WITH 'WHAT WAS THAT?' MY FO SAID IT SOUNDED LIKE WE HIT SOMETHING. I DOUBTED THAT; AS WE MADE AN INITIAL VISUAL SWEEP. THE ICE PROTECTION LIGHT CAME ON ON THE CWP. I LOOKED UP TO SEE THE FAULT LIGHT ON THE FO'S FRONT WINDSHIELD. AS I TOLD FO ABOUT THE FAULT; HE DISCOVERED THE DAMAGE IN THE FRONT WINDSCREEN. WE TURNED ON THE INTERIOR LIGHTS AND USED FLASHLIGHTS AND COULD SEE THE EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE. OUR POS WHEN THIS HAPPENED WAS APPROX 55 DME NE OF DJB VOR. I MADE THE DECISION TO DIVERT INTO CLE AND FO AGREED. I HAD HIM CALL CLE CTR AND ASK FOR LOWER; ADVISE THEM OF OUR SITUATION AND OUR REQUEST TO DIVERT TO CLE. I SLOWED UP TO 180 KTS AND HAD FO START TO DEPRESSURIZE THE ACFT. AS A PRECAUTION WE OPENED THE OXYGEN SYS; GOT THE OXYGEN MASKS OFF THE WALL; MADE SURE THEY WERE CLOSE AND READY; AND WE DONNED THE SMOKE GOGGLES. I CALLED THE CABIN AND ASKED THE FLT ATTENDANT TO COME FORWARD. I TOLD FLT ATTENDANT WE HAD A DAMAGED FRONT WINDSHIELD AND WE WERE DIVERTING TO CLE. SHE WAS TO SUSPEND SVC AND PREPARE FOR A NORMAL LNDG IN ABOUT 15 MINS. I TOLD HER I'D TALK TO THE PAX. I BRIEFED THE PAX ON THE DIVERSION AND THE REASON. WE COORDINATED WITH THE STATION; DISPATCH AND THE NEED FOR CUSTOMS. NO EMER WAS DECLARED. NO ARPT EMER EQUIP WAS USED. THE LNDG WAS NORMAL AND UNEVENTFUL.