Ontario ice storm power outages could last until Friday in some hard-hit areas: Hydro One
More than 280,000 customers are still without power Tuesday
Ontario's provincial utility says power has been restored to more than half a million customers four days after an ice storm first moved into the region, but that some hard-hit areas may remain without it until the end of the week.
Hydro One says more than 280,000 homes and businesses were still without power as of Tuesday morning. Officials say repairs in hard-hit areas, including Orillia and Peterborough, could take until Friday.
The storm, which started on Friday night, covered roads and other surfaces with ice, causing hazardous driving conditions and damage to trees. Most city facilities and all parks are closed until further notice due to downed trees and unstable branches.
The number of outages jumped on Sunday because of a problem with Hydro One's outage map, with outages not previously accounted for now having been added to the total.
Environment and Climate Change Canada says the areas hardest hit by the ice storm include Barrie, Orillia, the Kawartha Lakes, Peterborough and Kingston. Lindsay got 25 millimetres of ice buildup, the Peterborough area got 20 millimetres, Orillia received 19 millimetres and Barrie got 15 millimetres.
The federal weather agency said freezing rain in areas across the province that saw alerts issued over the weekend is expected to ease Monday morning, but warns the system is moving east.
Quebec, New Brunswick and parts of northern Nova Scotia's mainland and Prince Edward Island are under freezing rain warnings as of Monday morning.
Kristina Kretchman, meteorologist for Environment and Climate Change Canada, said the ice storm did damage.
"There have been many reports of trees down, branches down, unfortunately, some of them hitting infrastructure, such as houses or power poles," she said.
Hydro One, meanwhile, will determine when power will be restored for each outage once damage has been assessed, Kaitlyn Forde, a spokesperson for the provincial utility, said on Sunday.
Forde added that customers should check Hydro One's online outage map for updated information.
"We're experiencing outages primarily for tree limbs and branches being weighed down due to the accumulation of freezing rain. That accumulation impacts a lot of tree branches and limbs, and those that come into contact with our power lines are the main cause of the outages," she said.
Crews are working on restoring power in the hardest hit regions, and crews are coming from other areas to help, Forde said.
Ontario Corps, a volunteer emergency response team for natural disasters, is dispatching personnel and equipment to support communities impacted by the storm, Premier Doug Ford said in a post to X on Sunday evening.
"The province is actively working with communities affected by the ice storm that occurred over the weekend to keep people safe and restore power as quickly as possible," Ford said.
The province is actively working with communities affected by the ice storm that occurred over the weekend to keep people safe and restore power as quickly as possible.<br><br>Hydro crews and local authorities are working around the clock, and Ontario Corps will continue to dispatch…
—@fordnationThe storm has prompted some municipalities to declare a state of emergency for their communities as they cope with widespread power outages, downed trees and hazardous road conditions.
The City of Peterborough declared a state of emergency on Sunday and has opened four reception centres, two of which are overnight, for affected residents. People are urged to avoid unnecessary travel.
"Ice accumulation is knocking down power lines, trees and tree limbs, causing power outages and unsafe conditions," the city said.
The Township of Oro-Medonte also declared a state of emergency on Sunday afternoon in response to "escalating impacts" of the storm, says a notice on the township's website.
All township roads are closed to the public due to downed trees, power lines and debris, as well as township facilities, the notice says.
A state of emergency was declared for the District of Muskoka just before 5 p.m. on Sunday following prolonged periods of freezing rain that impacted power and road access in communities in the region, says a notice on the municipality's website.
Stay 10-metres back from downed power lines: Hydro One
Forde said it's critical for customers to stay clear of fallen trees, branches and damaged power lines, noting that Hydro One recommends people stay at least 10 metres away. Fallen power lines should be reported to 911 and Hydro One at 1-800-434-1235.
Due to the amount of rain that has fallen, there's a risk of flooding, and Forde said if water starts to reach any electrical outlets, baseboard heaters or the furnace, customers should call Hydro One to have power turned off safely.
"Do not enter any flooded areas until power is disconnected," she said.
Power has been restored for more than 257,000 customers since the storm began, Forde added.
Freezing rain began in parts of southern Ontario early Saturday. The freezing rain warning for Toronto and other areas in the GTA, in place since Saturday afternoon, was lifted by about 9:30 a.m. Sunday as the temperature rose above freezing.
Kretchman of Environment Canada said the city received between two and three millimetres of ice buildup. She said there were power outages and some slippery surfaces due to the freezing rain.
Freezing rain warnings are still in effect across a "broad swath" of central and eastern Ontario, and the ice storm, which developed from a low pressure system from Texas, is expected to continue in those regions for much of Sunday.
"Take extra care when walking and driving in the affected areas. And also, just be aware of electrical wires or tree branches, which could break under the weight of ice," Kretchman said.
In the freezing rain warning for Barrie, Collingwood and Hillsdale, Environment Canada said: "Surfaces such as highways, roads, walkways and parking lots will become icy, slippery and hazardous. Ice buildup may cause tree branches to break. Consider postponing non-essential travel until conditions improve."
Ontario Provincial Police said in a news release on Sunday that its officers in the central region had a busy night on Saturday with, an increase in the usual number of calls for service as a result of the ice storm.
"Freezing rain continues to affect Central Region today, causing dangerous conditions on roadways and resulting in multiple incidents, including injuries from falling trees," the OPP said.
"We are urging residents to stay off the roads, as they remain icy, and to avoid unnecessary travel. Several trees have already fallen due to the weight of the ice, injuring individuals and causing widespread damage."
Injuries have resulted from falling trees, the OPP added.
Hydro One spokesperson Tiziana Baccega Rosa said the utility is seeing more outages occur as ice continues to build up on equipment, and it anticipates more outages will happen as the system moves north.
"This has been a very challenging weather event, with multiple systems in it, which is part of the challenge," she said Sunday.
Baccega Rosa said it could take several days to get power back for every customer.
Some areas in the province, which are known as water-access only, may be without power for some time, she said. Workers will need to either fly in by helicopter or use boats, which they cannot do until the storm is over, she said.
With files from CBC's Muriel Draaisima and Linda Ward