Tens of Thousands Left in the Cold: Ice Storm Devastates Parts of Ontario
TORONTO — On Saturday, tens of thousands of residents across Ontario were left without electricity as an ice storm battered portions of the province and posed a risk of affecting even more areas.
According to a map provided by Hydro One, the provincial utility, over 50,000 customers experienced power outages on Saturday afternoon. These outages were mainly focused in cottage regions stretching from Tobermory and Gravenhurst to Peterborough and Kawartha Lakes.
Following freeze warnings from Environment Canada, power disruptions occurred across portions of Ontario and Quebec, beginning along the northwest coast of Lake Huron, stretching down to Burlington, Ont., and reaching as far as Lac Megantic, Que.
Hydro One mentioned that their teams were working extensively to restore power.
By Saturday afternoon, individuals began posting photos online of trees encased in ice and fallen power lines.
While Environment Canada forecasted an accumulation of up to four millimeters of ice in Toronto, they predicted that Orillia might experience as much as 25 millimeters of ice buildup according to the national weather agency.
The municipality situated in the core of Ontario's cottage region has been affected by power disruptions, and authorities stated that the local public library remained shut throughout the day as it lacked electrical supply.
The police recommended avoiding non-essential trips over the weekend, mentioning that the roads were expected to be slick.
Parts of southern Ontario have already been hit, but the storm is due to expand over the weekend.
It was also expected to be a stormy weekend in Quebec, where the southern part of the province is forecast to receive between five and 15 centimetres of snow into Saturday morning before freezing rain follows on Sunday for several hours.
Environment Canada also issued a special weather statement for a large swath of the province including the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region, the lower St. Lawrence, the Gaspé peninsula and the province’s north shore, where snow and freezing rain could last into Monday morning.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 29, 2025.
Nicole Thompson, The Canadian Press
