350,000 people without power in Ontario

Over 350,000 customers across Ontario were left without power early Sunday afternoon after a significant winter storm brought freezing rain, tree damage and power outages.

Hydro One, Ontario’s provincial utility, said on its website, “Crews are out in full force, working alongside our contractors through challenging conditions to restore power to customers.”

The outages continue to be caused by tree limbs and branches weighed down by the accumulation of freezing rain. The utility company also noted that a second round of freezing rain is expected, which could further impact power lines and road conditions.

Since Sunday afternoon, Hydro One reported that more than 257,000 customers had their power restored since the storm began.

However, the company estimates it will take several days to restore power to all affected customers and crews are prioritizing restoration efforts to bring power back to the greatest number of customers in the shortest amount of time.

Workers are also  repairing and rebuilding main lines and key electricity infrastructure before tackling repairs to lines that serve smaller groups of customers.

“At this time, we won’t stop until every customer is restored,” the utility company added.

Hydro One urges customers to stay clear of fallen power lines as the storm progresses.

If anyone spots a downed line, they are advised to keep at least 10 metres back and report it to 911. Customers should also call Hydro One at 1-800-434-1235 to report any outages.

Hydro One is also issuing multiple text updates to keep its customers informed as conditions change and restoration efforts continue.

—All photos via hydroone.com