Large power outage affects thousands on Vancouver Island
Nearly 5,000 BC Hydro customers on Vancouver Island lost power on Friday afternoon.
Most outages had been addressed by 9 p.m., with the exception of a large outage on Hornby Island, where BC Hydro said 1,282 customers would be without power overnight because of ferry cancellations that prevented crews from accessing the island.
The bulk of the afternoon outages were in the Parksville and Courtenay areas, according to a BC Hydro update around 2:30 p.m.
The energy provider said that roughly 2,181 customers lost power in Errington and Coombs, just south of Parksville, around at 2:29 p.m.
Meanwhile, hundreds of people lost power in the Courtenay area on Friday afternoon, as well as on nearby Hornby Island.
According to the BC Hydro website, the Hornby outage was caused by a tree falling down across hydro wires. A repair crew has been assigned to the outage, and BC Hydro said they were expected to arrive on the island Saturday morning around 9 a.m.
Meanwhile, nearly 1,000 BC Hydro customers between Courtenay and Merville were without power Friday afternoon.
Near the southern tip of the island, pockets of outages are being reported by BC Hydro.
Some of the largest outages in the region included an outage in Sidney, where a downed wire knocked out power to 125 customers, and on nearby Pender Island, where approximately 298 people lost power.
In total, 4,991 were without power on Vancouver Island and nearby Gulf Islands as of roughly 3 p.m. Friday. That number had declined to 1,500 by 9 p.m.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.