Extreme weather in Eastern Canada causes $260M in damage

Eastern Canada winter storm

A severe winter storm tracking south of the Great Lakes and into Atlantic Canada from February 15 to 19 resulted in heavy snowfall, strong wind gusts, ice and rain from southern Ontario to Newfoundland. This same region was impacted by a snowstorm just a few days prior, leading to heavy accumulation with little time to mitigate the impacts of the storms. As a result, there were many reports of structure collapses in Ontario and Quebec, along with other structural damage and power outages.

Numerous municipalities in southern Ontario also declared significant weather events, including the City of Toronto. More than 600 collisions were reported on roads in Ontario. Strong winds also caused power outages in Atlantic Canada, with approximately 6,000 customers without power on February 17 – most of these in Nova Scotia.

In total, the storm caused more than $90 million in damages.

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Ontario and Quebec melt

The melt, from February 24 to 26, caused more than $160 million in damages. With the ground still frozen from the harsh winter, it was unable to absorb this melt, leading to flooding in low-lying areas, including many basements. Ice damming and water infiltration/basement leakage were the leading causes for claims.

Reports of damage also included roofs collapsing due to snow load. Notably, a six-storey parking garage in Ottawa had partially collapsed, trapping approximately 50 vehicles.