Tens of thousands in Ontario and Quebec are currently without power after intense thunderstorms on Canada Day knocked down trees and caused flooding in certain areas, all amid a persistent heat wave that continues to push eastward.
Environment Canada has issued numerous heat warnings across most of Ontario and Quebec, which now extend into New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island.
A large portion of Ontario is under an orange warning, a rare alert from the agency indicating severe weather that could lead to considerable damage or health risks.
Daytime temperatures throughout Ontario – ranging from Windsor to Ottawa, Thunder Bay to Timmins, and southern James Bay – have reached the mid-30s, with the humidex making it feel even more oppressive.
Similar heat alerts are in place for much of Quebec as well, including Montreal and Quebec City, predicting highs around 33 C with humidex values nearing 45 C.
In the Maritimes, Environment Canada states that residents in New Brunswick, P. E. I., and mainland Nova Scotia should also brace for lingering heat expected through the weekend.
The severe thunderstorms accompanied by strong winds on Wednesday led to widespread outages in both Ontario and Quebec. This included disruptions in the National Capital Region where several Canada Day festivities were called off, including fireworks displays.
As of Wednesday afternoon, Environment Canada reported approximately 110 millimeters of rain had fallen at Ottawa Airport.
At one point during the outages, Hydro One reported 168,000 customers were without power. The utility noted on social media that while crews were making substantial progress restoring electricity, some individuals in heavily impacted areas might still be without power heading into Thursday.
Tens of thousands remained without electricity by late Thursday morning according to Hydro One’s outage map. The utility communicated via social media that they are responding “safely and quickly,” advising people to keep drones grounded to ensure clear airspace for helicopters.
Over 9,000 addresses in Quebec were also facing power outages late Thursday morning as per Hydro-Quebec’s reports.
This extreme heat coincides with Toronto hosting its sixth and final match of the FIFA World Cup.
The city announced that broadcasts for Thursday’s match at Nathan Phillips Square near City Hall have been cancelled due to forecasted extreme heat conditions.
Portugal is scheduled to compete against Croatia in a Round of 32 match taking place at Toronto Stadium.
This report by The Canadian Press was first July 2, 2026.
The Canadian Press
A seek shelter warning is seen on Parliament Hill during Canada Day festivities in Ottawa on Wednesday, July 1, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Keito Newman The Canadian Press Keep it Factual
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