Hundreds without power in downtown Toronto for more than a day as crews work to repair damaged cable

Hundreds Without Power in Downtown Toronto for Over a Day

Hundreds of residents in Toronto's downtown Moss Park and Old Town neighborhoods remain without power more than 24 hours after a damaged cable caused a major outage, according to Toronto Hydro.

Extent of the Affected Area

The blackout spans from just east of Parliament Street to just west of Jarvis Street, and from around Queen Street East to south of Front Street East, as shown on Toronto Hydro’s outage map.

Repair Progress and Challenges

Crews worked overnight and have made significant headway in their efforts to repair the damaged cable. However, Toronto Hydro announced Thursday morning that the work, though nearing completion, has proved more complicated than expected.

“Repairs have been more complex and time-consuming than anticipated,” Toronto Hydro said. “The damage caused by the third-party contractor is extensive, with the dig-ins occurring in multiple spots.”

Cause of the Outage

The utility company confirmed that the cable was damaged after a third-party crew accidentally struck it while working at an active construction site unrelated to Toronto Hydro. The initial incident occurred just after 8 a.m. Wednesday.

Estimated Restoration Time

The initial estimate for restoration was set for 11 a.m. Thursday but was later pushed to mid-afternoon, extending the outage to roughly 30 hours for nearly 600 customers.

Summary

Crews continue to repair extensive damage caused by third-party construction in downtown Toronto, leaving about 600 residents without electricity for over a day.

Toronto Star — 2025-11-06