Thousands in Ontario remain without power after winter storm

TORONTO – Hydro One says tens of thousands of its customers in southwestern Ontario lost power after Wednesday’s winter storm and some might have to wait until Friday night for it to be restored.  

The utility says more than 33,000 customers are without power as of this afternoon.  

Tiziana Baccega-Rosa, a spokesperson for Hydro One, says communities along the shorelines of Lake Erie, including the towns of Aylmer and Essex, and the county of Kent, are among the hardest hit areas.  

She says 25 hydro poles came down in Aylmer due to strong winds and ice buildup, leaving nearly 7,000 customers in the area without power – their electricity isn’t expected to be restored until late Friday.  

Hydro One’s outage map also shows more than 20,000 customers in the town of Essex are expected to remain without power for much of today.  

Baccega-Rosa says Hydro One has diverted staff from the regions that have not been affected, and is working with other contractors, to restore power lines in affected areas as soon as possible.  

Environment Canada says southern and southwestern Ontario could see periods of freezing drizzle and icy conditions today.  

The agency says parts of eastern Ontario could see another round of snowfall Thursday afternoon and evening.  

Buses have been cancelled at number of school boards, including in Ottawa and across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area.  

More than 100 flights in and out of Toronto’s Pearson International Airport were cancelled after the storm dumped about 17 centimetres of snow on the city.  

Feature image: A snow plow works on an icy road near Port Stanley, Ontario on Thursday, February 23, 2023. A winter storm brought significant freezing rain to the region causing power outages, travel delays and school closures. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Geoff Robins