A Toronto Hydro line worker works to restore power to a house in a Scarborough neighbourhood on Friday, December 27, 2013. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young
January 01, 2014 - 2:05 PM
SAINT JOHN, N.B. - Several hundred people are still waiting for the lights to come back on in New Brunswick, more than a week after an ice storm left tens of thousands of people shivering in the dark.
NB Power says about 300 customers in southern New Brunswick had yet to be reconnected on Wednesday afternoon, but about 260 crews were expected to make more progress throughout the day.
Spokesman Brent Staeben says the utility expected only a few dozen customers would still be without power on Thursday.
The Canadian Red Cross says their warming centres and shelters have all closed as there was no longer a demand for them.
At one point, about 50,000 NB Power customers were without electricity as ice-laden trees snapped and pulled down power lines across the province.
Meanwhile, New Brunswick's Emergency Measures Organization is advising residents of a prolonged stretch of cold weather.
The organization is asking residents to check on vulnerable neighbours and bring their pets inside.
It says the province is ready to distribute emergency supplies of food, water, firewood, kerosene and other necessities.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2014