Widespread power outages
The storm's ferocity led to the loss of electrical power for thousands of residents in the Ottawa-Gatineau area. As of early Thursday morning, Hydro-Québec reported approximately 25,000 customers without electricity in its jurisdiction. Similarly, Hydro One, servicing eastern Ontario, accounted for around 23,000 affected customers. The power outages primarily impacted rural and suburban communities, highlighting the vulnerability of certain infrastructures to severe weather conditions.
School bus cancellations and school closures
The adverse weather also caused significant disruptions to school transportation services. The STEO and CTSE announced a complete cancellation of school bus runs for Thursday, while the Tri - Board agency and CTSO reported partial cancellations. In Renfrew County, located near Ottawa, buses in the Madawaska area were halted, though the region largely escaped the storm's brunt. Notably, no cancellations were reported in western Quebec, suggesting a variable impact of the storm across different areas.
Adding to the complications, several schools within the Centre de services scolaire au Coeur - des - Vallées had to close their doors due to the lack of power. The affected institutions include école Adrien - Guillaume in Chénéville, Saint - Cœur - de - Marie in Ripon, des grands - Pins in L'Ange Gardien, and de la Montagne in Notre - Dame - de - la - Salette. These closures reflect the direct impact of power outages on educational operations, emphasizing the storm's reach beyond just physical damage.
Source: cbc.ca