Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
As the May long weekend kicked off, a massive thunderstorm in southern Ontario brought strong wind gusts that knocked down trees, took out power and left at least five people dead.
Shortly after storms hit, police services across the Greater Toronto Area reported multiple power outages, downed trees and traffic concerns. After the storms cleared up in the Golden Horseshoe, the torrent of rain, wind and thunder made its way east toward Ottawa and southern Quebec.
In Brampton, Ont., Peel Regional Police reported that a large tree had struck a woman who was walking in the storm at around 1:30 p.m. EDT. The woman was transported to a local hospital where she later died.
Ontario Provincial Police also reported that shortly before 12:30 p.m. EDT, three people were taken to hospital after a tree fell on a camping trailer at Pinehurst Lake Conservation Area near Cambridge, Ont. One of the individuals died after suffering serious life-threatening injuries while the other two had minor injuries, police said.
Ifficials say a 44-year-old man was also killed in Greater Madawaska, west of Ottawa, after reportedly being struck by a falling tree.
On Saturday evening, an Ottawa police spokesperson told reporters at a media availability that one person in the west end of the city had died after suffering “major injuries.”
Later Saturday, Gatineau police said a 51-year-old woman drowned after her boat capsized in the Ottawa River.
The storm ripped trees out by the roots and even knocked down hydro towers as it blew across Ontario and Quebec. A wind gust of 120 km/h was recorded at the Ottawa Airport at 3:30 p.m. Ottawa police said a barn in the west end of the city was destroyed, and many people were trapped in vehicles due to live wires on roads throughout the nation’s capital.
Police agencies and hydro providers are also urging residents to stay at least 10 metres from downed power lines as they may be carrying live electricity.
Both Hydro Quebec and Hydro Ottawa reported outages affecting more than 170,000 customers. Hydro One, which provides power to residents in rural parts of Ontario, reported that over 260,000 customers were without power as of early Sunday morning.
In Durham Region, Ont., just east of Toronto, the Township of Uxbridge also declared a state of emergency as emergency crews work to clear trees and other hazards from roads.
“Residents should be prepared for a prolonged power outage. Please stay home for safety,” the township said in a statement.
Environment Canada had warned that strong wind gusts could blast through at a speed of up to 100 kilometres an hour and residents could expect large hail the between the size of a nickel and a toonie to fall in certain regions.
"Large hail can damage property and cause injury. Strong wind gusts can toss loose objects, damage weak buildings, break branches off trees and overturn large vehicles," the agency said.
In a series of public weather alerts issued Saturday, Environment Canada had warned that weather conditions are "favourable for the development of severe thunderstorms" in these areas, including the Greater Toronto Area, Ottawa and Montreal.
Environment Canada said southern Ontario and Quebec are forecasted for heavy rainfall with high humidity levels over the weekend. Because of these conditions, The agency said it cannot rule out the possibility of tornadoes in some areas.
Environment Canada recommends taking cover "immediately" if threatening weather approaches.
"Remember, severe thunderstorms can produce tornadoes. Lightning kills and injures Canadians every year. Remember, when thunder roars, go indoors," the agency said.
According to forecasts, the severe weather is travelling northeast through the southern regions of Ontario and Quebec from Michigan, where a tornado there killed two people and injured 40 others on Friday.
With files from CTV News Toronto and The Canadian Press
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
The giant stone statues guarding the Lions Gate Bridge have been dressed in custom Vancouver Canucks jerseys as the NHL playoffs get underway.
A local Oilers fan is hoping to see his team cut through the postseason, so he can cut his hair.
A family from Laval, Que. is looking for answers... and their father's body. He died on vacation in Cuba and authorities sent someone else's body back to Canada.
A former educational assistant is calling attention to the rising violence in Alberta's classrooms.
The federal government says its plan to increase taxes on capital gains is aimed at wealthy Canadians to achieve “tax fairness.”
At 6'8" and 350 pounds, there is nothing typical about UBC offensive lineman Giovanni Manu, who was born in Tonga and went to high school in Pitt Meadows.
Kevin the cat has been reunited with his family after enduring a harrowing three-day ordeal while lost at Toronto Pearson International Airport earlier this week.
Molly Knight, a Grade 4 student in Nova Scotia, noticed her school library did not have many books on female athletes, so she started her own book drive in hopes of changing that.
Almost 7,000 bars of pure gold were stolen from Pearson International Airport exactly one year ago during an elaborate heist, but so far only a tiny fraction of that stolen loot has been found.