Lights Out This Holiday Season in Toronto

Toronto is frustrated with weeklong power outages

by: Sucheta Shankar, Staff Writer

ARTICLE AT A GLANCE:

• Many areas in Eastern Canada including Toronto, Ottawa, Windsor, Manitoba and Michigan in US were out of electricity over the holiday season.
• Approximately 1% of customers (3000 people) live in a “darkTO”, according to Toronto Hydro’s twitter.
• Restoration of power in its final stage will take much longer than desired due to the severely damaged equipment in multiple locations.

While it is a cold and dark holiday season for some, it’s a busy, round the clock working season for others.

This holiday season is a no-win scenario with many local teams, along with crews from Ottawa, Windsor, Manitoba and Michigan, working hard, at the cost of their own holidays, to restore power to several homes.

According to Toronto Hydro`s twitter feed at 10:43 PM, approximately 1% of customers (3000 people) live in a #darkTO. Despite the frequent tweets to update the city and respond to customer inquiry, some customers find themselves being kept, “in the dark – literally and figuratively”.

Some residents can’t help but wonder what is taking so long. The help provided so far is helpful but to how many?

“It’s great that there’s a warming centre, but if you don’t have a TV or a radio that works, how are you going to know that there’s a warming center? How are you going to get there,” questions Toronto resident Rick Medeiros.

Even others residing in Scarborough are still wondering where the hydro crews are. “I haven’t seen any here. The place is deserted. The houses are dark. There are no people around, so it appears that everybody moved out,” states Eric Onisiforou, who has been staying elsewhere since he hasn’t had power since the storm first hit.

Unfortunately, the weather is waiting for no one as Toronto welcomes temperatures that feel close to -20°C over the upcoming week. One can only hope for the remaining 1% to potentially see their houses warm, bright and cozy.

The wait for such a simple wish to become reality, though, might be a long one. Toronto Hydro believes that restoration during the final stages is going to take much longer due to severely damaged equipment at many locations.

Six months after forty-eight hours of intensive labour, I (@suchetashankar) started to communicate and haven’t stopped since. I enjoy channeling that passion towards writing, whether it is the creative or journalistic kind. If I’ve got you curious, feel free to check me out at www.suchetashankar.com

Photo courtesy of huffingtonpost.ca & metronews.ca