After the Storm: How Toronto Is Cleaning up After Wednesday’s Severe Weather
After Wednesday’s severe thunderstorms brought heavy rain, damaging winds, large hail, flooding and downed trees across Toronto, City crews worked through the night clearing roads and responding to damage.
Nearly 1,000 storm-related calls have already come in. The City says it received approximately 1,000 service requests following the storm. Crews have been clearing flood water, debris and sediment from roads, while 311 reports are being used to help prioritize the hardest-hit areas.
Thousands are still without power. Roughly 8,300 Toronto Hydro customers were still without electricity early Thursday, after tens of thousands lost power during the storm. Crews continue to work on restoring service.
Some major roads are still dealing with the aftermath. As of the City’s early Thursday update, portions of the Gardiner Expressway, Don Valley Parkway and Bayview Avenue remained closed because of flooding and cleanup work.
Pearson felt the storm too. Wednesday’s severe weather led to flight delays and cancellations at Toronto Pearson. Anyone flying today should check their flight status before heading to the airport, particularly as airlines work through the disruption.
The TTC is back to its regular schedule. After yesterday’s weather caused plenty of headaches getting around the city, regular TTC service is running this morning. Toronto Island ferry service has also resumed regular operations.
Power outages also mean some traffic lights may still be out. Drivers should treat an intersection with non-functioning signals as a four-way stop. Anyone who spots a downed power line should stay at least 10 metres away and report it to Toronto Hydro.
North York didn’t escape the damage. Toronto Botanical Garden is closed today after experiencing moderate flooding and water intrusion. Programs, camp, volunteer activities and private events scheduled for September 3 have been cancelled while crews assess and clean up the site.
And if your street is still a mess, report it. The City is asking residents to continue contacting 311 about flooding, fallen trees and other storm-related problems on City property. Extra call takers have been added, although response times may be longer than usual because of the volume of requests.
