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Thousands in Canada still with no power, face travel woes days after storms

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Thousands of people in Canada were still without electricity or facing travel headaches on Tuesday, days after fierce winter storms struck right before Christmas.

The storms have wreaked havoc with electric grids and travel plans for the last four days.

While the outage numbers have dropped significantly, tens of thousands of people remained without power Tuesday as crews continued the work to repair lines brought down by strong winds and fallen trees, complicated by heavy snow hindering access to some sites.

Quebec remains the biggest trouble spot, with about 32,000 homes and businesses without power. Hydro-Quebéc said the Capitale-Nationale, Laurentides and Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean are among the hardest-hit regions.

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Hydro-Québec said it can’t give a restoration timeline for all customers because trees and other objects are keeping crews from accessing already difficult-to-reach areas. The company said it’s using about 1,200 hydro crews from across the province, and 10 helicopters to clear paths and complete repair work.

About 16,000 homes and businesses still without power are in Ontario, a large majority of them in the Georgian Bay region north of Toronto, Hydro One said as its fourth day of storm restoration continued.

Another hard-hit area was Fort Erie, Ont., where about 4,300 customers were still in the dark on Monday, with power knocked out by fallen trees and broken telephone poles. According to a tweet on Monday night from Canadian Niagara Power, electricity was restored to more than 4,000 of affected customers.

A vehicle is parked in a parking lot in heavy snow
Chatham-Kent, a municipality in southwestern, Ontario, was pummelled by a blizzard that saw hundreds of vehicles stranded last weekend. This photo was taken by someone who had to spend the night in the local Walmart. (Heather Nickoli)

The Niagara region, where Fort Erie is located, declared a state of emergency on Saturday.

Chatham-Kent, about 300 kilometres to the west on the shore of Lake Erie, also declared a state of emergency on Saturday due to heavy snow and high winds, but lifted it around 2 p.m. ET Monday.

Dozens of people had spent the night in a Walmart store in Chatham-Kent last Friday after the blizzard closed the roads around them.

 

Hydro One crews in ‘final stretch’ of restoring power in Ontario

Despite access being hindered by snow and ice-encased equipment, crews working to restore power for remaining customers across Ontario, Hydro One spokesperson Tiziana Baccega Rosa says.

Hydro One said it hopes to have power restored to the bulk of affected customers by the end of the day — and harder-to-reach cottages “in the coming days,” said spokesperson Tiziana Baccega Rosa.

She said weather conditions have prevented the utility from getting helicopters and boats into the water in order to reach seasonal properties on islands or with water access only.

On Tuesday morning, New Brunswick Power had reconnected almost everyone who had lost power. It reported just under 400 customers still in the dark.

U.S. storm death toll rises

South of the border, storm-battered Buffalo, N.Y., braced for fresh snow on Tuesday while still striving to recover from an epic blizzard that killed at least 34 people in the region.

Mayor Byron Brown’s office announced seven additional storm-related deaths on Tuesday, bringing the total in Buffalo  to 27, along with at least seven suburban fatalities.

State and military police were being sent to enforce a ban on driving on snow-choked streets. County Executive Mark Poloncarz said police would be positioned at entrances to Buffalo and at major intersections.

A man pushes a slow plow.
Mike Gippon plows snow in the driveway outside his home in Buffalo, N.Y.’s Elmwood Village on Monday. (Joseph Cooke/Buffalo News/The Associated Press)

The U.S. National Weather Service predicted as much as five centimetres of snow could fall in Erie County, which includes Buffalo.

While that’s a relatively small amount, it’s expected to hinder the removal of the 1.25 metres of snow that fell in some places, starting on Christmas Eve. Officials said the city’s airport will be shut through Wednesday morning.

The rest of the United States is also still reeling from the ferocious storm, with at least an additional two dozen deaths reported in other parts of the country, and power outages in communities from Maine to Washington state. The storm claimed 57 lives, over half in western New York, officials said on Monday.

In British Columbia, crews were making progress in restoring power after the winter wallop on the West Coast. BC Hydro said fewer than 1,000 customers, mostly in the Lower Mainland and on Vancouver Island, remained without electricity, down considerably from the height of the storm.

Flood watch in B.C.

Despite BC Hydro’s progress, people in southwest B.C. were bracing Tuesday for possible flooding.

Rainfall warnings and flood watches remained in effect Tuesday as two successive storms were forecast to bring 60 to 120 millimetres of rain by late Tuesday night, according to Environment Canada.

Coastal flooding near the Strait of Georgia was expected around the high tide on Tuesday morning, the agency said. Vancouver was bracing for an elevated risk of flooding due to a storm surge with high winds and a high tide.

The province urged people to stay away from fast-flowing rivers and unstable riverbanks.

People in B.C. are also still dealing with the aftermath of a deadly Christmas Eve highway bus crash that police suspect may have been caused by icy weather. Four people died and dozens of others were injured in the Ebus crash east of Merritt near the Loon Lake exit.

Trains, planes and baggage

Hundreds of Canadians have been stranded for days in Mexico after Sunwing cancelled their flights home, with many accusing the airline of “abandoning” them by not rebooking them on new flights or failing to make it clear where they will stay while they wait to leave.

“A number of return flights continue to be impacted by delays due to displaced crew and aircraft, resulting from the aftermath of severe weather disruptions across Canada,” the company said in a statement released on Tuesday.

Passengers are seen as they await transport at the airport in Cancun, Mexico on Christmas Day.
Passengers are seen early into Christmas Day as they await transport at the airport in Cancun, Mexico, after their delayed flight home to Canada was cancelled. (Hina Itsaso/The Canadian Press)

Sunwing said it’s working “around the clock” to get passengers home.

“We have completed two recovery flights so far this week, have planned another eight recovery flights which are scheduled to depart up to and including Dec. 30, 2022, and are currently finalizing recovery plans for our remaining passengers in destination,” the company said.

For southbound flights, Sunwing announced on Monday afternoon, via Twitter, that the baggage belt at Pearson International Airport’s Terminal 3 was not working, and as a result, it couldn’t guarantee that customers’ checked baggage would accompany them on aircraft leaving Toronto.

Early Tuesday, the airport tweeted that the baggage belt in question was operational again.

However, due to a high volume of passengers and staffing issues, the airport is still dealing with delays in getting arriving passengers their baggage, Tori Gass, a Greater Toronto Airports Authority spokesperson, told CBC News on Tuesday.

“We have brought in staff from elsewhere in the airport, as many as we can, to help the airlines out and to put more bodies into the baggage halls,” Gass said.

 

Pearson airport brings in staff to help airlines minimize further delays

Spokesperson Tori Gass says the Greater Toronto Airport Authority has been working ‘behind the scenes’ to support airlines as they work to resolve delays and disruptions caused by winter storms.

For train travellers, Via Rail planned to have trains running again on Tuesday from Toronto to Ottawa, as well as Ottawa to Montreal. Via said trips from Toronto to Montreal will run on a “modified schedule,” but has  warned of possible delays.

Service was cancelled for Christmas Day and Boxing Day because of a CN train derailment on Saturday near Grafton, Ont. The accident shut down a stretch of track and left passengers trapped aboard trains for hours on the weekend.

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Gas prices in the Thompson Okanagan jumped by 7 cents a litre, days before the next carbon tax increase – Vernon News – Castanet.net

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Some area gas stations are not waiting until April 1 to crank up the price of gas.

On April Fools Day, the federal Liberals will be increasing the controversial carbon tax, which will directly impact the price at the pump.

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However, overnight, several Thompson Okanagan gas stations have already increased the price, selling the liquid gold for 174.9.

In January, gas was selling for a ‘mere’ 143.9 cents a litre. The latest hike is a whopping 31-cent-a-litre increase in just three months.

And the price of petrol is guaranteed to go up again when the carbon tax increase is implemented on Monday.

Kelowna drivers are also paying more at the pump today, with the majority of stations raising the price to 174.9.

As of 9:30 Thursday morning, the Co-op stations on Rutland and Sexsmith roads were at 168.9 as was the Costco gas station.

Several Vernon stations are holding at 167.9.

In Penticton, motorists are also paying more, with the price at the majority of stations hitting the 174.9 mark.

Kamloops drivers are also taking a hit to the wallet with gas in the Thompson community also selling for 174.9.

The Kamloops Costco was the cheapest in the city at 161.9 cents a litre.

Enderby continues to have some of the cheapest gas in the region at 165.9, however the Esso in Tappen has them all beat at 157.9.

Gas in Vancouver has crested the $2 a litre mark, sitting at 202.9 cents a litre.

And as usual, Calgary motorists are paying significantly less than their BC counterparts, filling up for 154.9 cents a litre.

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Calgary breaks all-time record in housing starts but increasing demand keeps inventory low – CBC.ca

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Soaring housing demands in Calgary led to an all-time record for new residential builds last year, but inventory levels of completed and unsold units remained low due to demand outpacing supply.

According to the latest report from Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), total housing starts increased by 13 per cent in Calgary, reaching a total of 19,579 units with growth across all dwelling types in the city.

That compares to a decline of 0.5 per cent overall for housing starts in the six major Canadian cities surveyed by CMHC.

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Calgary also had the highest housing starts by population.

“Part of the reason why we think that might have happened is that developers are responding to low vacancies in the rental market,” said Adebola Omosola, a housing economics specialist with CMHC.

“The population of Calgary is still growing, a record number of people moved here last year, and we still expect that to remain at least in the short term.”

Earlier this year, the Calgary Real Estate Board also predicted that demand, especially for rental apartments, wouldn’t let up any time soon. 

Industry can cope with demand, expert says

According to numbers from the report, average construction times were higher in 2023 for all dwelling types except for apartments.

The agency’s report suggests the increase in the number of under-construction residential projects might mean builders are operating at or near full capacity.

However, there’s optimism the construction industry can match the increasing need.

Brian Hahn, CEO of BILD Calgary Region, said despite concerns around about construction costs, project timelines and labour shortages, the industry has kept up with the demand for new builds.

Demand is expected to remain robust, but the construction industry can keep up, according to BILD Calgary region CEO Brian Hahn.
Demand is expected to remain robust, but the construction industry can keep up, according to BILD Calgary Region chief executive officer Brian Hahn. (Shaun Best/Reuters)

“I’ve heard that kind of conversation at the end of 2022 and I heard it in 2023,” Hahn said.

“Yet here we are early in 2024, and January and February were record numbers again.”

Hahn added he believes the current pace of construction will continue for at least the next six months and that the industry is looking at initiatives to attract more people to the trades.

Increase in row house and apartment construction

Construction growth was largely driven by new apartment projects, making up almost half of the housing starts in Calgary in 2023.

The federal housing agency says 9,034 apartment units were started that year, an increase of 17 per cent from the previous year. Of those, about 54 per cent were purpose-built rentals.

Apartments made up around two-thirds of all units under construction, CMHC said, with the total number of units under construction reaching 23,473.

Growth, however, was seen across all dwelling types. Row homes increased by 34 per cent from the previous year while groundbreaking on single-detached homes grew by two per cent.

“Notwithstanding challenges, our members and the industry counterparts that support them managed to produce a record amount of starts and completions,” Hahn said.

“I have little doubt that the industry will do their very best to keep pace at those levels.”

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Ottawa real estate: House starts down, apartments up in 2023 – CTV News Ottawa

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Rental housing dominated construction in Ottawa last year, according to a new report from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC).

Residential construction declined significantly in 2023, with housing starts dropping to 9,245 units, a 19.5 per cent decline from the record high observed in 2022. But while single-detached and row housing starts fell compared to 2022, new construction for rental units and condominiums rose.

“There’s been a shift toward rental construction over the past two years. Rental housing starts made up nearly one third of total starts in 2023, close to double the average of the previous five years,” the report stated.

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Apartment starts reached their highest level since the 1970s.

“The trend toward rental and condominium apartment construction follows increased demand in these market segments due to population growth, households looking for affordable options, and some seniors downsizing to smaller units,” the CMHC said.

Demand from international migration and students, the high cost of home ownership, and people moving to Ottawa from other parts of Ontario were the main drivers for rental housing starts in 2023. The CMHC says rental and condominium apartment starts made up 63 per cent of total starts in 2023, compared to the average of 37 per cent for the period 2018-2022.

There was a modest increase in rental housing starts in 2023 over the record-high seen the year prior and a jump in new condominiums. The report shows 5,846 new apartments were built in Ottawa last year, up 2.1 per cent compared to 2022.

Housing starts in Ottawa by year. (CMHC)

Big demand for condos

The CMHC said condo starts reached a new high in 2023, increasing 3 per cent from 2022 numbers.

“As of the end of 2023, there were only 13 completed and unsold condominium units, highlighting continued demand for new units,” the CMHC said.

Condominum starts increased in areas such as Chinatown, Hintonburg, Vanier and Alta Vista, as well as some suburban areas like Kanata, Stittsville, and western Orléans. Condo apartment construction declined in denser parts of the city like downtown, Lowertown and Centretown, the report says.

Taller buildings are also becoming more common, as the cranes dotting the skyline can attest. The CMHC notes that buildings with more than 20 storeys accounted for nearly 10 per cent of apartment structure starts in 2022 and 2023, compared to an average of 2 per cent over the 2017-2021 period. The number of units per building also rose 7 per cent compared to 2022.

Apartment building heights in Ottawa by year. (CMHC)

Single-detached home construction down significantly

The number of new single-detached homes built in Ottawa last year was the lowest level seen in the city since the mid 1990s, CMHC said.

“The Ottawa area experienced a slowdown in residential construction in 2023, driven by a significant decline in single-detached and row housing starts,” the CMHC said.

Single-detached housing starts were down 45 per cent compared to 2022. Row house starts dropped by 38 per cent compared to 2022, marking a third year of declines in a row.

“Demand for single-detached and row houses also declined in 2023. Higher mortgage rates and home prices have led to a shift in demand toward more affordable rental and condominium units,” the report said.

There were 1,535 single-detached housing starts in Ottawa last year, 208 new semi-detached homes and 1,678 new row houses.

The majority of single-detached and row housing starts were built in suburban communities such as Barrhaven, Stittsville, Kanata, Orléans and rural parts of the city.

“Increased construction costs resulting from higher financing rates and inflation that occurred in 2022 and 2023 contributed to the decline in construction in the region,” the CMHC said. 

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