49,000 Without Power as Ice Storm Sweeps Through Ontario
A severe ice storm moving through Ontario has left approximately 49,000 Hydro One customers without power, primarily in the central and eastern regions of the province.
According to Hydro One spokesperson Tiziana Baccega Rosa, the widespread outages are being caused by tree limbs and branches collapsing under the weight of accumulated freezing rain and falling onto power lines. Restoration efforts face significant challenges in some areas.
“Some regions, known as water-access only areas, may experience extended outages lasting more than 24 hours,” Baccega Rosa explained. Crews will need to deploy helicopters or boats to reach these affected locations, operations that cannot begin until weather conditions improve. Parry Sound and Huntsville are among the areas that may face prolonged power disruptions.
Severe Weather Conditions
Environment Canada has issued numerous freezing rain warnings across the province. The storm began early Saturday morning in several regions including Vaughan, Richmond Hill, Markham, Barrie, and Durham Region, with ice accumulations expected to reach between 5 to 10 millimeters in these areas.
The most severe conditions are forecast for Orillia, Lagoon City, and Washago, where ice buildup could reach 10 to 20 millimeters, with potential for accumulations exceeding 25 millimeters. These areas are likely to experience widespread power outages and hazardous travel conditions as the storm continues into Sunday afternoon.
Meanwhile, the Greater Toronto Area is bracing for freezing rain beginning Saturday evening and continuing into Sunday morning, with expected ice accumulations of 2 to 4 millimeters. Barrie, Collingwood, and Hillsdale are under both freezing rain and rainfall warnings, with precipitation amounts potentially reaching 25 to 50 millimeters by Sunday morning.
Public Safety Concerns
Hydro One crews are working across the province to restore power as quickly as possible. The utility company has advised residents to “stay safe, stay back from downed lines” in a post on social media platform X.
Environment Canada is urging residents to postpone non-essential travel until conditions improve. The weather agency warns that highways, roads, and walkways will become “icy, slippery and hazardous,” and that tree branches may break under the ice buildup.
The storm has already impacted public services, with the Orillia Public Library closing for the day due to power loss.
Temperatures hovering near zero degrees may eventually change the freezing rain to regular rainfall in some areas, though higher elevations with cooler temperatures will continue to experience freezing conditions longer. Environment Canada expects the freezing rain to end for all areas by midday Sunday.