New | Ice storm leaves Canada with massive power outages, fatalities

Nearly 440,000 households in eastern Canada were left without electricity and could be left in the dark over Christmas, after a snow and ice storm snapped power lines and put travel plans in jeopardy at the busiest time of the year.

Environment Canada said winds in the Toronto area might pick up to as much as 40 km/h after the storm left up to 30mm of ice. The forecast for the Montreal, the largest city in the province of Quebec, calls for as much as 30cm of snow and ice pellets.

Icy conditions may have played a role in at least four fatal road accidents in Quebec and another in Ontario at the weekend.

“Thoughts are with those without power due to the ice storm,” Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper tweeted. “Please stay safe.”

In Toronto, Canada’s biggest city, more than 250,000 customers of Toronto Hydro were without power as ice-coated tree branches snapped and brought down power lines. As long as 72 hours might be required to restore service, the utility said.

“This is truly one of the worst ice storms we’ve seen here in Ontario,” Toronto Hydro CEO Anthony Haines said on Monday at a press briefing.

Hydro One, another Ontario-based utility, said in a message on Twitter that about 141,000 customers were without power. And about 46,000 Hydro-Quebec customers were without electricity, the Montreal-based company said.