Dollard-des-Ormeaux residents frustrated by repeated Hydro-Québec outages

Residents in Dollard-des-Ormeaux’s Elm Park say years of frequent power failures have left them frustrated and relying on costly generators.

Residents in a small area of Dollard-des-Ormeaux say they are feeling helpless as frequent Hydro-Québec outages disrupt their daily lives.

Resident Mike Common, who lives in the Elm Park neighbourhood, says the blackouts have been happening ever since he moved to the area three decades ago.

“Nobody can help us,” Common said. “Everybody says, talk to Hydro-Québec. When we talk with them, they’re dismissive.”

He says the problem has gotten worse in recent years. The outages are random and can last several hours.

City councillor Laurence Parent says the situation doesn’t “make sense.”

“[The residents] can no longer trust the electricity service in this area,” Parent said.

Parent says 221 households are affected, with nearly half now relying on generators.

Mayor Alex Bottausci says he understands the frustration and is doing what he can to hold Hydro-Québec accountable.

“I hear them, and I feel for my residents,” Bottausci said, adding he has raised the issue with higher levels of government.

In a statement, Hydro-Québec said it was aware of the outages affecting the Elm Park area and was sympathetic to residents’ concerns.

“The power line serving Elm Park also supplies part of the L’Île-Bizard–Sainte-Geneviève borough. The outages are primarily due to vegetation-related issues,” the public utility said.

“In addition to our regular maintenance operations and cyclical vegetation control planning, Hydro-Québec has developed a targeted and prioritized action plan in response to the frequent outages observed in the area. This plan aims to improve service quality starting this year.”

The Crown corporation said solutions will be implemented by the end of the year, including vegetation control and maintenance on the grid.

“We also plan to install new equipment to reduce both the frequency and duration of outages. We are in ongoing communication with elected officials in the area to keep them informed about the action plan,” Hydro-Québec said.

Common, however, remains skeptical.

“That’s all they’ve ever told us, and what’s changed? Things are worse.”