Severe thunderstorms knock out power to hundreds of thousands in Ontario and Quebec

On July 1–2, 2026, intense thunderstorms swept across central Canada, leaving over 214,000 customers without electricity in Ontario and nearly 140,000 in Quebec, according to Environment Canada. Hydro One mobilised more than 200 crews to restore service to roughly 17,000 Ontario customers, while Hydro‑Québec deployed about 200 teams to reconnect power for more than 18,000 Quebec customers. Wind gusts reached 119 km/h in Quebec and 96 km/h at Montréal‑Trudeau Airport, toppling trees and damaging power lines.

In the Ottawa‑Gatineau region, the storm brought over 150 mm of rain, causing unprecedented flooding and leaving up to 36,000 households without power. Hydro‑Ottawa and Hydro‑Québec sent additional crews, but repairs were slowed by fallen debris and hazardous conditions. Local authorities reported dozens of road closures, sewer backups and ongoing flood‑related emergencies. Residents described prolonged outages, reliance on generators, and the difficulty of restoring normalcy amid the extreme heat and rain.

The utilities expect most areas to have power restored by late evening, though some locations may remain offline longer as crews assess damage.