Power restored in Toronto after significant outages hit downtown core

An extensive power outage is affecting Toronto’s downtown core. Hydro One says the outage is related to the transmission system but they are continuing to investigate.

By Lucas Casaletto

Toronto Hydro and Hydro One say power has been restored to remaining customers in the downtown area.

In Twitter posts shared on Thursday, the utilities announced the power was back on and thanked people for their continued patience.

An extensive power outage affected Toronto’s downtown core leaving many local businesses, including hospitals, the Eaton Centre and office spaces, in the dark.

Hydro One had been investigating reports that a barge carrying a crane came into contact with high-voltage transmission lines in the Port Lands area. The City of Toronto later confirmed an investigation into the cause of the outage was underway.

A spokeswoman for the utility said Hydro One worked to restore power as quickly as possible.

“We’re investigating reports that a crane that was erected was being carried on a barge in the Port Lands area, and it came into contact with a high voltage power line,” Tiziana Baccega Rosa told The Canadian Press by phone.

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Toronto Hydro said upwards of 10,000 customers may have been affected by the outage at its peak.

Several office buildings in Toronto’s financial district, the Eaton Centre, and Toronto Metropolitan University’s campus were without power for several hours on Thursday.

Parts of the Fashion District between Spadina Avenue and Bathurst Street were also affected. Some Studio District customers near Eastern Avenue and Lakeshore Boulevard had been without power for hours, leading to businesses closing down for the day.

Toronto fire officials said they responded to numerous calls for people trapped in elevators in buildings located within the affected area.

Police also reminded people to treat intersections as four-way stops if traffic lights are out. The TTC said subway trains and streetcars were continuously operating because they run on their own power.

“I felt helpless today. I couldn’t work or do anything”

Torontonians reacted to the sweeping power outage, as many with jobs in the downtown core admitted they were forced back home to work remotely or take the day off.

One woman named Sandra, who works at SickKids hospital in Toronto, tells CityNews about the moment the lights went off.

“It was staggering. Silence everywhere. With everything that has gone on lately, this added yet another layer of stress to the employees and, of course, the patients,” she said.

power ooutage

Toronto Fire Services said a call came in at 12:32 p.m. about a crane that knocked down three to four power lines, which could have caused the outage. Photo: CityNews video.


Another woman named Leilah, who works at a restaurant near Yonge and Dundas, said there was nothing left to do but try and commute home.

“Thankfully, I live in Mississauga, so I was able to find my way back and have power [at home],” she said. “I felt helpless. Usually, I would say the day off is great, but I need the money. I couldn’t work or do anything.”

One woman on social media thanked Toronto Hydro for letting her have the day off but noted how lousy traffic congestion was.

Thanks [Toronto Hydro] for letting me leave work early, but the traffic is insane,” she wrote on Twitter. At the same time, another social media user shared a photo of local barbershops serving clients outside.

“Haircuts on the sidewalk,” he noted.


With files from The Canadian Press

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