Winnipeg Health Sciences Centre undergoes 12‑hour power outage

A power outage began around 9 p.m. on Wednesday at Winnipeg’s Health Sciences Centre and lasted roughly 12½ hours. The hospital’s operator, Shared Health, activated a backup power feed that kept critical systems – including life‑saving patient equipment, lighting and elevators – operational.

The outage caused the HVAC system to shut down, raising humidity and triggering fire alarms, which temporarily disabled elevators. Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service responded immediately, searched the facilities and found no fires. No evacuations were required; staff used fans and increased patient checks until temperatures returned to normal. The cause of the outage is still under investigation, and it occurred before severe thunderstorms swept the city, causing broader power disruptions.