Winds Disrupt Power for 310,000 in Eastern Canada

Strong winds battered Central Canada and the Maritimes on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, knocking out power to more than 310,000 customers at their peak and causing widespread disruptions from downed lines to delayed public events.

Quebec bore the brunt of the storm, with outages concentrated in the Laurentians, Lanaudière and Montérégie regions. Environment Canada reported gusts reaching 90 kilometers per hour across parts of the province, including a recorded 100 kilometer per hour blast on Montreal's South Shore. The winds picked up after midnight and peaked around 8 a.m., toppling trees, breaking electrical poles and tangling wires. By noon, the number of affected customers had dropped to nearly 255,000, but Hydro-Québec spokesperson Cendrix Bouchard indicated full restoration remained uncertain. "It's very likely that not everybody will be back on the grid today," Bouchard said. The utility deployed about 1,500 workers to address roughly 1,400 repair sites, focusing on clearing debris and replacing damaged infrastructure. Environment Canada metrologist Simon Legault noted that winds would ease in the afternoon, aiding repair efforts. He added that a weaker weather system...