A glaze of ice has caused widespread power outages across Quebec, Canada, impacting tens of thousands of customers as of Wednesday evening, March 12, 2026. The storm, which brought freezing rain to much of the province, also disrupted service on a portion of the Réseau express régional (REM) commuter train line.
Hydro-Québec reported more than 90,000 outages across the province, with the Outaouais region particularly affected, where over 17,000 addresses remained without power. The Centre-du-Québec and Chaudière-Appalaches regions also experienced several hundred outages, according to reports.
While much of Quebec was spared the worst of the storm, the freezing rain created hazardous conditions. Environment Canada warned that falling trees could bring down power lines as temperatures drop overnight. Quebec’s premier indicated on social media that Hydro-Québec crews were prepared for the worsening conditions.
The disruption to the REM commuter train line is among the immediate consequences of the storm. Thousands of customers in the Outaouais region and eastern Ontario are also without power, according to Radio-Canada. The accumulation of ice prompted officials to issue warnings and prepare for potential further disruptions.
The Ministry of Transportation is monitoring the impact of water runoff on roadways, particularly in the Montérégie, Estrie, Centre-du-Québec, Lanaudière, and Chaudière-Appalaches regions. The Sûreté du Québec has also increased its presence in affected areas.
The Outaouais region, located on the north side of the Ottawa River opposite Canada’s capital, Ottawa, includes the city of Gatineau and the Papineau region. As of 2021, the region had a population of 405,158, according to Wikipedia.
