Ottawa (Rajeev Sharma): A sweeping blast of Arctic air has tightened its grip across much of Canada, putting immense pressure on power utilities and disrupting air travel, as temperatures plunged to dangerous lows on Saturday.
From the eastern seaboard to the Prairie provinces, communities braced for brutal wind chills and extreme cold, with meteorologists warning that some Prairie regions could experience conditions equivalent to –55°C. The prolonged cold spell has forced residents indoors and triggered emergency responses in several cities.
In Ontario, frigid winds pushed “feels-like” temperatures in Toronto and Ottawa beyond –30°C, prompting municipalities to expand operations at warming shelters. Hamilton officials extended operating hours at existing facilities while opening additional centres to accommodate growing demand. In Montreal, city officials reported that emergency warming sites were nearing full capacity, with occupancy levels surpassing 90 per cent.
The severe weather also took a toll on road safety. Calgary police said they recorded more than 140 traffic collisions over a single day, attributing the spike to snow-covered streets and reduced visibility.
Energy providers across the country issued urgent appeals for conservation as electricity consumption surged. Nova Scotia Power warned that rising heating demand was pushing the provincial grid toward peak capacity, while Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro cautioned that supply could fall short, raising the possibility of controlled outages if consumption continued to climb.
Air travel was equally affected, with major airports reporting widespread cancellations and delays. At Toronto Pearson International Airport, more than one in five scheduled arrivals and departures between Friday and Saturday were called off, while a similar share experienced significant delays.
For many travellers, the disruptions meant long waits and uncertain plans. Guilherme Holtz, returning to Quebec City after an international trip, said his family endured an 11-hour flight from Rio de Janeiro only to have their connecting service cancelled upon landing. “We were hoping to be home by morning,” he said, adding that rebooking pushed their journey back by several more hours.
Airlines moved quickly to issue travel advisories. Air Canada announced flexible rebooking options for passengers affected by extreme cold in Toronto and Montreal, while WestJet extended similar accommodations for travellers flying through airports in Atlantic Canada, Quebec, and select US cities.
With freezing conditions expected to persist, authorities continue to urge residents to limit travel, conserve electricity, and check on vulnerable neighbours as the country weathers one of the harshest cold spells of the season.
