Severe Storms Leave 84,000+ Without Power Across Ontario and Quebec, May 31

Severe thunderstorms and high winds swept across Ontario and Quebec on May 29-30, leaving over 84,000 customers without power. Wind gusts reached 90 km/h in some areas, downing trees and cutting power lines. Hydro One and Hydro-Québec mobilized hundreds of crews to restore service, though some regions faced outages extending into May 31.

Storm Damage Across Two Provinces

Wind gusts up to 90 km/h accompanied by lightning and thunderstorms downed trees and tree limbs across eastern Ontario and western Quebec on May 29 evening. In Quebec, 26,090 Hydro-Québec customers lost power by Saturday afternoon. The Outaouais region was hardest hit with 15,340 households affected, followed by the Laurentians with 6,141 and Montérégie with 1,442. Montreal and Laval also experienced outages affecting 371 and 771 addresses respectively.

Eastern Ontario saw widespread damage with approximately 84,117 total customers affected across multiple service areas. Bancroft reported 8,340 customers without power, Huntsville 8,929, and Parry Sound 5,390. Outages persisted in Kingston, Tweed, and Perth with restoration times extending into May 31.

Massive Crew Mobilization Underway

Hydro-Québec deployed more than 140 crews across Quebec on Saturday to restore service. In western Quebec’s Outaouais region, around 90 teams worked to clear damage, with additional crews travelling from as far as Saguenay and the lower St. Lawrence to assist. Hydro-Québec spokesperson Annie Beaudoin stated that power should be restored for most people across the region, though some outages could continue until Sunday in certain areas.

Hydro One crews began repairs across eastern Ontario as soon as winds subsided Saturday morning. Spokesperson Kaitlyn Forde noted that harder-to-reach areas may face longer restoration times. Each outage with assessed damage received its own estimated restoration time, though these estimates could shift once crews uncovered additional damage on site.

Restoration Timeline Varies by Region

In Ontario’s cottage country, restoration estimates ranged widely. Bancroft faced the longest wait with estimated restoration by May 31 at 11:00 PM, while Bracebridge and Huntsville aimed for May 31 at 6:00 PM. Parry Sound expected power restored by May 30 at 11:00 PM. Some areas like Minden and Orillia were still assessing damage with uncertain restoration times.

Hydro One warned residents to stay at least 10 metres from downed power lines and to report them immediately. Both utilities emphasized that crews would continue working until all customers regained power.

Final Thoughts

Over 84,000 customers lost power across Ontario and Quebec after severe storms on May 29-30. Hundreds of crews worked through May 31 to restore service, with some regions facing extended outages. Investors should monitor utility stocks for potential operational impacts from infrastructure damage.

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