The sky over Ottawa turned an ominous shade of gray yesterday afternoon before unleashing a powerful storm that left thousands in the dark. As morning broke across the capital region, Hydro Ottawa crews were already scattered throughout neighborhoods, working diligently to restore power to affected residents.
“We’ve had all available crews deployed since the first outages were reported,” said Jennifer Sullivan, spokesperson for Hydro Ottawa, during an early morning briefing. “The combination of high winds and heavy rainfall created particularly challenging conditions, bringing down trees and power lines across multiple districts.”
According to the utility’s outage map, approximately 27,000 customers remained without electricity as of 7 a.m., down from a peak of nearly 45,000 reported during the height of the storm. The hardest-hit areas include Kanata, Barrhaven, and sections of the downtown core.
For residents like Martin Chen of Centretown, the outage came at a particularly inconvenient time. “My basement started taking on water just as the power went out,” Chen told me while waiting outside a Tim Hortons on Bank Street. “I’ve been using buckets all night, working by flashlight. You never realize how dependent you are on electricity until something like this happens.”
Ottawa’s Emergency Management Office activated its emergency response protocol shortly after the storm hit. The city has opened three warming centers for residents without power, located at the Kanata Recreation Complex, Jim Durrell Recreation Centre, and the St-Laurent Complex.
City Manager Steve Willis emphasized that restoration efforts are being prioritized based on critical infrastructure needs. “Hospitals, water treatment facilities, and emergency services take precedence, followed by repairs that will restore service to the largest number of residents,” Willis explained during this morning’s press conference at City Hall.
The storm, which meteorologists from Environment Canada classified as a severe thunderstorm system, brought wind gusts exceeding 90 km/h and dropped nearly 45 millimeters of rain in some areas. While significant, these numbers fall short of the devastating derecho that struck the region in May 2022, which left some neighborhoods without power for more than a week.
Ottawa Paramedic Service reported responding to seventeen storm-related calls overnight, including three for carbon monoxide exposure caused by improperly ventilated generators. “We strongly urge residents to ensure generators are operated outdoors, well away from windows and doors,” cautioned Paramedic Chief Patricia Froats.
For the thousands still without power, Hydro Ottawa estimates most connections will be restored by late evening, though some isolated outages in areas with more extensive damage may continue into tomorrow. The utility is posting regular updates on their website and social media channels.
Local businesses have stepped up to help neighbors in need. The Carlingwood Mall has opened its doors as an unofficial charging station, allowing residents to power essential devices. Several coffee shops and restaurants with power have extended their hours to provide warm spaces and hot food.
“This is what community means in Ottawa,” noted Councillor Riley Brockington, who was helping distribute bottled water in his River Ward district. “We’ve been through worse together, and each time, I’m impressed by how quickly people mobilize to support one another.”
For those affected by the outages, Ottawa Public Health recommends discarding perishable food items that have been unrefrigerated for more than four hours. Officials also remind residents to check on elderly neighbors or those with medical needs that may be impacted by extended power loss.
As I drove through Hintonburg this morning, the signs of the storm’s passage were evident everywhere – branches littering streets, portable basketball hoops toppled over, and power crews methodically working their way through the neighborhood. What struck me most, though, was the sense of calm organization that seems to characterize Ottawa’s response to these increasingly common weather events.
Weather forecasters predict clearer conditions for the remainder of the week, which should assist recovery efforts. However, the
