Some Quebecers eligible for financial help after storm leaves thousands without power
Quebec announced special financial assistance to cover food losses suffered by those using social assistance programs following power outages.
Several thousand homes remain without electricity a week after violent storms uprooted trees, blocked roads, destroyed properties and killed at least 11 people in Quebec and Ontario.
Social assistance recipients who have been affected by an outage lasting more than 24 hours are eligible for $75 per person. The maximum amount for each family is $300.
“It is essential to support the most vulnerable people in our society,” said Labour Minister Jean Boulet in a Sunday statement.
At 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, approximately 8,900 customers, mainly in the Laurentians, Lanaudière and Outaouais, were still affected by the outage which began last Saturday or Sunday according to Hydro-Québec.
However, according to the company's Info-pannes website, more than 18,000 homes are without power as of late Saturday morning.
“New outages have been declared in the last hours in the Laurentians region, thus increasing the total amount of outages in Quebec,” wrote Hydro-Quebec in a press release.
“The already weakened vegetation is affected by heavy precipitation, which causes it to sag on the network and cause new outages.”
Interventions are still necessary on more than 1100 sites. Repairs, some of which are needed in remote locations, only restore service to a small number of customers at a time.
In Ontario, 19,000 Hydro Ottawa customers are still without power. Nearly 27,000 Hydro One customers are also affected by the outages on Saturday morning.
Hydro One anticipates that 99 per cent of customers affected by the storm will be reconnected to the grid. However, the company warns that affected customers in the Bancroft, Perth and Tweed areas are expected to be without power for several more days or even weeks.
-- This report was first published by The Canadian Press in French on May 28, 2022.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Why drivers in Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada will see a gas price spike, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
How to avoid the trap of becoming 'house poor'
The journey to home ownership can be exciting, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew warns about the trappings of becoming 'house poor' -- where an overwhelming portion of your income is devoured by housing costs. Liew offers some practical strategies to maintain better financial health while owning a home.
Toxic forever chemicals in drinking water: Is Canada doing enough?
As the United States sets its first national limits on toxic forever chemicals in drinking water, researchers say Canada is lagging when it comes to regulations.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
McDonald's customers left with 'zero value' collection of free hot drink stickers after company ends program
It took years for Vinnie Deluca to collect more than 400 cards worth of free McDonald's McCafe coffee, a collection that now has "zero value" after the company discontinued the program.
Biden scores endorsements from Kennedy family, looking to shore up support against Trump and RFK Jr.
U.S. President Joe Biden will accept endorsements from at least 15 members of the Kennedy political family during a campaign stop in Philadelphia on Thursday as he aims to undermine Donald Trump and marginalize the candidacy of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Where did the gold go? Crime expert weighs in on unfolding Pearson airport heist investigation
Almost 7,000 bars of pure gold were stolen from Pearson International Airport exactly one year ago during an elaborate heist, but so far only a tiny fraction of that stolen loot has been found.
When new leaders took over in ancient Maya, they didn't just bury the former royals. They burned their bodies in public
New archeological investigations in Guatemala reveal that the ancient Maya people had a ritual of burning royal human remains as a public display of political regime change.
Party's over: Coyotes play final game as Arizona franchise before move to Salt Lake City
Mullett Arena buzzed like few times in the two years since the Arizona Coyotes moved in, the fans amped for one last desert hurrah.