Canada Ice Storm: 300,000 Without Power In Ontario, Orillia Declares Emergency

A fierce ice storm tore across sections of Ontario during the weekend, leaving over 300,000 Canadians in the dark, utility supplier Hydro One said. The storm, which dropped freezing rain and ice accretion, caused Environment Canada to put out winter storm warnings for Ottawa, Quebec, and sections of Ontario, with treacherous conditions lasting through Monday morning.

Hydro One said most outages were the result of branches of trees heavy with ice, and some parts of the system also had risks of flooding. More than 350,000 customers had been impacted as of Sunday afternoon, and power restoration would likely be ongoing until April 1.

Alectra, another utility company, said approximately 35,000 customers lost power, primarily in Barrie, a suburb north of Toronto. Crews were hindered by ice accumulation on power lines, but the company promised all resources that could be mobilized had been sent out to restore service.

The municipality of Orillia issued a state of emergency when the storm brought widespread power outages, icy road conditions, downed trees, and damaged infrastructure. The authorities called for people to remain indoors, with threats of continuing danger from ice-covered roads and power lines that had fallen on them.

“This is a serious situation with unsafe road conditions, downed trees, and major damage to infrastructure,” the municipality stated.

Residents flooded social media with their experience, sending in word of roads closed by downed trees and reporting the crashing of branches as the storm grew stronger.

Emergency responders and utility companies are still working to resolve the crisis, though with icy weather still holding, recovery efforts will be slow. Authorities have pleaded for caution and patience as they clear the areas of debris and restore power to the stricken neighborhoods.