The City of Peterborough has joined other communities in central Ontario by declaring a state of emergency in response to the severe wind storm on the Victoria Day weekend.
On Wednesday morning (May 25), Mayor Diane Therrien announced she and the city’s emergency management team had submitted a declaration of a state of emergency to the Ontario government.
Other communities that have already declared states of emergency include Uxbridge in Durham Region, communities in the Ottawa area, and North Kawartha and Douro-Dummer Townships in Peterborough County.
Municipalities can declare states of emergency under Ontario’s Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act, making them eligible for any provincial financial assistance with extraordinary costs associated with emergency response and repairs to essential property and infrastructure following a natural disaster.
As of Wednesday morning, Hydro One reports almost 100,000 customers across Ontario remain without power due to the storm, which resulted in over 1,600 broken poles, 200 damaged transformers, and 1,000 kilometres of downed power lines.
While power was restored to most of Peterborough by Tuesday night, a Hydro One spokesperson told CBC Ontario Morning 28,000 customers in the Peterborough area still have no power as of Wednesday morning. Restoration is expected to be completed by Wednesday night.
Update: yesterday the emergency Management team and I submitted declaration of state of emergency to the province. @HydroOne crews continue to work to restore power. For updates and city services available, check https://t.co/3x2Fd2L53F
— Diane Therrien (@DianeNTherrien) May 25, 2022
