Hundreds of flood victims and people whose home sustained tornado damage will be able to return to their homes Sunday.
According to a press release from the City of Gatineau, families will be reintegrated in stages.
On Saturday, the Red Cross stated that 48 families were being housed in a hotel, while over a hundred people slept in the emergency shelter at CEGEP de l’Outaouais on Friday night.
Almost 800 people people have registered for assistance.
About 30 Red Cross volunteers are working in Gatineau, trying to help families and clear damage.
City officials said that clean-up of public roads is still underway.
Almost 6,700 people are still without power after more than 200 power outages hit the region and damaged infrastructure, said Hydro Ottawa CEO Bryce Conrad.
He added that the outages are a result of "cascading failure" of hydro resources, as well as the complete shutdown of a 40-metre long gas line.
“It’s arguably if not worse than the ice storm in 1998,” he said, comparing the damage done to their infrastructure. Typically in September, Ottawa uses 100 megawatts of power.
The tornado knocked out two-fifths of that supply and “that’s why we’re dark,” Conrad said.
There are no casualties or missing people reported and all four major hospitals in Ottawa experienced power outages and are currently running on generators.
Meanwhile, officials said firefighters are going door-to-door to determine whether structures are safe to re-enter. Officials warned people not to re-enter their homes until they had been deemed safe.
Quebec's political party leaders are heading to Gatineau to survey the damage from a tornado that ripped through homes and sent several people to hospital on Friday night.
On Day 31 of the election campaign, Liberal Leader Philippe Couillard, the Coalition Avenir Quebec's Francois Legault and Parti Quebecois Leader Jean-Francois Lisee cancelled their scheduled activities to meet those affected by the storm.
People wanting to donate or help can call the Red Cross at 1-800-418-1111.
The following safety notices were also issued by the city:
• People returning to their homes should be vigilant because there is still debris strewn about.
• Gatineau asks victims who were evacuated not to return home until the authorities have given them the all clear.
• Some traffic lights are still defective or out of service. It is important to come to a full stop at intersections where the traffic lights are not working.
• Residents are asked to avoid driving by the affected sectors unless necessary:
- due to safety concerns about possible obstacles (branches, electrical cables, debris, etc.) in the streets;
- to enable crews to work, secure and clean the streets; and
- out of respect for the victims.
• After a tornado:
- be careful with any debris such as tarps, glass or other items that could cut and injure;
- do not touch electrical cables on the ground or hanging because they may be live, but do contact Hydro-Québec; and
• Food conservation:
- In case of a power outage lasting more than eight hours, discard all perishables in your refrigerator. This applies to such things as meat, poultry, fish, dairy products and eggs.
- Frozen food can be kept in the freezer for up to 48 hours if it is not opened. Discard any partially thawed food.