Over 1.2 million people were without power in the two most populated provinces of Canada, Ontario and Quebec, after freezing rain and strong winds hit southeastern regions of the country. Hydro-Quebec, the electricity provider for Quebec, stated that about 1.1 million people in Quebec and 167,000 people in Ontario were affected.
The company added that it expected some customers to remain without power throughout the weekend. The restoration of power was delayed in some areas due to hazardous conditions caused by fallen debris and power outages affecting traffic signals. Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe reported that power for a large portion of the affected customers was expected to be restored by noon.
The Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, offered federal assistance to affected areas if required. Montreal was among the worst affected cities in Quebec. In the aftermath of the ice storm, Hydro-Quebec’s 1000 workers worked overnight and on Thursday morning to restore power.
The company expressed confidence that power would be restored to some of the affected customers that day, but Reuters quoted it as saying that some customers would remain without power on Friday and the weekend.
Canada’s total population is about 39.6 million, with Ontario and Quebec accounting for over half of the population.
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