Massive power outages across Toronto after summer storm that flooded highways and subway stations

An intense storm passing through portions of southern Ontario has caused widespread power outages and flooded roads, highways and transit stations.

Environment Canada issued a rainfall warning for Toronto on Tuesday morning ahead of a storm that was expected to bring up to 125 millimetres of rain by the afternoon. The weather agency said 40 millimetres of rain fell within the hour in some localized areas.

Around 10 a.m., the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA), which has a Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre, issued a flood watch for the city. By noon, that advisory was upgraded to a flood warning.

Torontonians share scenes from massive summer storm that flooded DVP, Union Station

An outage map on the Toronto Hydro website shows power down in several areas, including Toronto, Parkdale, East York, and Liberty Village. More than 165,000 customers across the city are facing power outages. Toronto Hydro said it received at least 135 reports as of midday.

Daniel McNeil, spokesperson for Toronto Hydro, said the power utility is responding to the scattered outages, which are believed to have been caused by flooding at a Hydro One transmission station.

“We are working closely with Hydro One to resolve the issue and restore power as quickly and safely as possible,” Mr. McNeil said.

Ian Sandler, a resident in the area of Bathurst and Eglinton, said a portion of the basement in his residence was flooded Tuesday morning, and his power has been out for at least two hours, beginning around noon.

“These extended power outages are becoming more frequent,” he said. “We’ve had some pretty extended power outages in our area for several hours in the past.”

Mr. Sandler blamed the power outages and instances of flash flooding in recent years on a combination of both climate change and poor infrastructure. He said his biggest concern is for the elderly who may need extra assistance, especially those who live in high-rise buildings and use elevators.

In a post on the social media network X, Toronto Hydro said it is dealing with a loss of supply, meaning there is an issue with Hydro One equipment that is now disrupting the flow of power to Toronto Hydro customers.

Across the GTA, several roads and highways have been shut down.

Toronto police said parts of the Don Valley Parkway were shut down in the early afternoon. The police service said on X shortly before 1 p.m. that the portion of southbound DVP from Bayview Avenue to Gardiner Expressway was fully closed.

Additionally, the TTC is experiencing service delays due to traffic congestion.

“Station staff are doing everything to mitigate the flooding,” a spokesperson for the transit agency said, adding that it is unclear how long it will take for service to resume to normal.

There was flooding at Union Station, the main transit and train hub downtown that serves the Toronto Transit Commission’s subway system, as well as Via Rail and GO Transit trains. Subway trains weren’t stopping at Union, while several transit buses and streetcars were making detours on their regular routes across the city. Via Rail and GO Transit also reported delays.

TRCA said all shorelines, rivers and streams within the GTA should be considered dangerous as the torrential rainfall will result in higher flows and rapidly changing water levels.

“The combination of slippery and unstable banks, and rising water levels could create hazardous conditions near rivers or other water bodies,” the centre warned, adding that poor visibility and ponding of water may be possible in low lying areas or areas with poor drainage.

TRCA advises people to avoid all recreational activities in or around water as conditions can change rapidly.

“Please exercise caution if you must be around any bodies of water, rivers or streams as well as the Lake Ontario shoreline,” the centre’s flood warning says. Parents and guardians are reminded to supervise their children and keep pets away from slippery and flooded areas.

With files from the Canadian Press