Spring Storm Causes Power Outages for Tens of Thousands in Quebec and Ontario
A recent spring storm swept through Quebec and Ontario on April 4, causing power outages for tens of thousands of customers, school closures, and heavy snowfall in the Montreal area.
In Quebec, over 220,000 homes and businesses lost electricity by midday, affecting areas from Gatineau to Montreal’s suburbs due to strong winds and fallen tree branches damaging power lines.
Hydro-Québec mentioned on social media that outages were due to weakened vegetation from heavy snow and winds, with over 1,000 workers on site for repairs. They did not provide a specific timeline for restoring power to heavily damaged areas but expressed confidence in most clients regaining power by the end of the day.
A spokesperson, Gabrielle Leblanc, warned of potential new outages as the storm continued moving through the province, with significant wind gusts anticipated in various regions.
Various English-speaking school boards in Montreal closed their doors due to the severe weather, while individual schools without power in southern Quebec also shut down.
Despite some minor accidents reported by Quebec police, no serious injuries were recorded. Southern Quebec was expected to receive 15 to 25 centimeters of snow by evening, with further snowfall forecast for the Charlevoix region and parts of eastern Quebec.
Environment Canada advised of sustained strong winds throughout the day, with gusts reaching up to 60 kilometers per hour and even stronger near Quebec City. In Ontario, over 40,000 customers were without power by noon, with Hydro One restoring power to 125,000 customers since the storm’s onset.
A few flights between Montreal and Toronto were canceled, and special advisories were issued for areas spanning from southwestern Ontario to New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, where heavy snowfall was also predicted. In Nova Scotia’s southern regions, wind warnings were in place, with gusts expected to reach up to 90 km/h.
