‘It’s not anyone’s fault’: Residents wait for power to be restored on Manitoulin Island

Following a severe storm on Monday, Hydro One crews are working to restore power on Manitoulin Island, with hundreds still affected by 26 outages.

Utility crews are working to restore electricity to hundreds of residents on Manitoulin Island who have been without power since a severe winter storm swept through the region early Monday morning.

The freezing rain, high winds and heavy snow caused widespread damage to hydro infrastructure, toppling trees and knocking out power lines across northern Ontario. While significant progress has been made, pockets of customers remain in the dark.

“Outages started to occur around 4 a.m. Since then, the crews have restored power to more than 162,000 customers,” said Tiziana Baccega Rosa, a senior media relations advisor for Hydro One.

“This was a widespread storm that brought freezing rain and high winds and a significant amount of snow to a lot of areas.”

As of the recent reports, about 430 customers on Manitoulin Island are affected by 26 separate outages, with a few additional pockets in the Sudbury area leaving 77 customers without power. Despite the challenges, Baccega Rosa offered a positive outlook for those still waiting.

“Good news is, right now, everyone’s restoration time is for sometime today,” she told CTV News Wednesday afternoon.

The primary hurdle for Hydro One crews has been accessing the damaged sites, with treacherous conditions and road closures hampering initial efforts.

“Everything north of Highway 11 being closed for a significant amount of time where we couldn’t reach customers,” Baccega Rosa said.

“But crews, what they do, do what they do best, they’re passionate and relentless. They do snowmobiles where they could and off-road equipment to start getting customers back, getting back their power on Monday.”

Officials told CTV News that the scale of the damage is immense, complicating repair work.

Baccega Rosa detailed the extent of the destruction facing line workers.

“We’ve got reports of one line. It’s 50 trees down. So significant, significant damage. One of the other challenges that they’re facing when they’re working is just that trees and ice continue to come down.”

Residents rally as they weather the outage

For Nicole Lambert, who lives on the shores of Lake Manitou, the storm has been a trial by fire during her first winter on the island – one she says may be her last. Her family lost power at 10 a.m. on Monday, leaving them reliant on a fireplace and a propane stove to keep warm.

“Not too sure I can’t answer when (for restoration), which is a little bit frustrating,” Lambert said.

“We heard it could be 12 more hours. But then I did see the crew up the road, so hopes are high.”

The outage has also galvanized the community, with neighbours checking in on the most vulnerable.

“Elderly neighbour – bit of a concern next door that she’s cold, doesn’t have the, you know, generator or the propane,” she said. “So, we’re all taking care of her, of course. But it’s sleeping in this, you know, in the room that has the propane stove.”

“Try not to open the freezer,” Lambert added.

Despite the frustration and the cold, Lambert was quick to praise the efforts of the Hydro One crews working in harsh conditions.

“I really respect them at this time, that’s for sure,” she said.

Sanctuary faces uphill battle to keep animals safe

The power outage poses a unique threat to GLO Farm Sanctuary in Manitowaning, a refuge for abused and neglected animals founded by Ali Valentine in 2015. The sanctuary has been without electricity since Monday, forcing staff to rely on generators to meet the critical needs of its residents.

“We have about 50 full-time animals who live on this property,” Valentine said.

“It’s a mix of large animals. So, we have horses and cattle and then for the medium animals, we’ve got sheep and goats. We also have large farm pigs and potbelly pigs, and then we have our birds, so, we’ve got chickens, geese and peafowl.”

With temperatures dropping, ensuring a constant supply of water is the top priority.

“Animals, like horses, have to constantly be grazing in order to keep themselves warm,” Valentine said.

“Which means that they also need access to water. So, water is always our primary concern, especially during a power outage.”

The sanctuary is using multiple generators to keep the water pumping and the troughs from freezing. Valentine emphasized the often-overlooked danger of cold water, which can be just as perilous for the animals as having no water at all.

“We’re very fortunate that we have multiple generators that we are using to not only be able to continue to pump water to fill the troughs, but also to keep them heated,” she said.

“A lot of people may not realize that cold water can be just as dangerous as no water.”

Hydro One issues urgent safety reminder

As restoration efforts continue, Hydro One is urging customers to prioritize safety, both inside and outside their homes. With power expected to return throughout the day, the company warns of potential hazards if proper precautions are not taken.

Baccega Rosa highlighted the risk of unattended appliances.

“We want to make sure that power comes back on customers who may have been using large appliances. Think of your stove in particular,” she said.

“Make sure they’re in (the) off position because that can be dangerous if you’re not at home and the power comes back on.”

With downed lines and debris scattered across communities, the public is also reminded to exercise extreme caution outdoors. The company advises keeping a safe distance from any fallen wires.

“If you’re out and about in your community, you might be cleaning up around your own property,” Baccega Rosa said. “If you come across downed lines, you cannot tell if they’re telecom or if they’re power lines.”

“You stay 10 meters back – that’s the length of a school bus, and you call Hydro One to report that, and we’ll address it as soon as possible,” she added.

For those using backup generators, proper placement is crucial to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.

“In addition, if you’ve been running a generator, it’s incredibly important to make sure that it is away from a window or any ventilation coming into your home,” Baccega Rosa said.

Hydro One’s outage map is updated every 10 minutes to reflect the progress of repair crews. Customers can also sign up for text alerts for updates on specific outages. For more information, visit the Hydro One website.

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