Another neighbour to the west has declared a state of emergency. Following Orillia and the District of Muskoka’s declaration over the weekend, Minden Hills is the latest municipality to do so.
It’s due to the ice storm that hit the province over the weekend.
Officials say the decision comes in the wake of prolonged freezing rain, which has caused widespread power outages, hazardous road conditions, downed trees and power lines, as well as damage to area infrastructure.
The community’s arena has been opened to the public as an information and warming centre.
Officials say crews are still assessing damage on Township roads and facilities, and Hydro One says it will take several days to restore power to all customers.
Kaitlyn Forde, a spokesperson for Hydro One, said the utility has restored power to more than 460,000 customers since Friday night, however, it’s anticipated to take several days before all customers get restored.
“So we are seeing the bulk of the outages in central and eastern Ontario. We do have crews out in full force, working as quickly and safely as possible to restore power to customers across the province.”
In Minden, over 10,000 are currently without power.
Locally, many are breathing a sigh of relief as the storm passes and the weather warms up, however officials say the aftermath is still posing a challenge, as winds threaten to bring down weakened tree limbs.
Authorities are urging residents to stay cautious and avoid areas with damaged trees.
