Intense cold weather sweeping across Canada on Saturday has led utility companies to issue alerts to customers and airlines to reschedule or cancel flights. From the Atlantic provinces to the Prairies, residents are enduring a bone-chilling cold spell, with some areas in the Prairies expecting temperatures as low as -55 C with the wind chill.
In Ontario, temperatures in Toronto and Ottawa dropped below -30 C due to the wind chill, prompting the extension of hours or the opening of new spaces at warming centers in Hamilton to accommodate the high demand. Warming centers in Montreal reported over 90% occupancy rates.
Calgary police reported over 140 collisions due to snowy conditions across the city. Nova Scotia Power urged customers to conserve energy as temperatures plunged into negative double digits, causing higher heating demand and pushing the power system to approach maximum capacity. Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro officials issued a similar warning, indicating the possibility of rotating outages due to potential electricity shortage.
A significant number of flights at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport were canceled or delayed between Friday and Saturday. Passengers like Guilherme Holtz and his family experienced disruptions on their journey from Rio de Janeiro to Quebec City, with their connecting flight being canceled and rebooked for later. Air Canada and WestJet also issued advisories about delays caused by extreme cold at various airports, offering customers the option to rebook without extra charges.
