(Orillia, ON) – Members across Central Region of the Ontario Provincial Police have been busy with increased calls for service due to the freezing rain that hit the region since March 29, 2025. The Freezing rain continued throughout the majority of the day on March 30, 2025 and has caused significant damage to trees and power lines throughout. High winds entered the region throughout the night and into the early hours of March 31, 2025, causing additional damage to trees and power lines. OPP and other emergency crews remain diligent in our efforts to keep individuals safe and crews are working tirelessly to restore power to those affected. Multiple localities throughout the region remain in states of emergency, including the City of Orillia, The City of Peterborough, the District of Muskoka and the Township of Oro-Medonte. The District of Muskoka and the Township of Oro-Medonte have closed all city facilities. Residents are encouraged to visit the following pages for further updates:
CITY OF ORILLIA
X -@cityoforillia
Website – www.orillia.ca
CITY OF PETERBOROUGH
X – @CityPtbo
Website – peterborough.ca/StormUpdate
DISTRICT OF MUSKOKA
X – @DistrictMuskoka
Website – Muskoka.on.ca
TOWNSHIP OF ORO-MEDONTE
X – @TwpOroMedonte
Website – oro-medonte.ca/township-news-and-notices
HYDRO ONE
X – @HydroOne
Website – hydroone.com/power-outages-and-safety
Downed power lines and trees continue to cause issues throughout many areas. The public is urged to stay a minimum of 10 meters away from all downed lines as there is no way to tell weather the wire is live. Be aware of your surroundings and avoid walking close to trees as many are heavily damaged and unstable. Branches and trees are still actively coming down throughout the area. Though roadways are clear of ice there remains significant amounts of debris scattered across many roads and there remains many road closures due to surface water, debris, downed trees and power lines. We are urging residents to stay off the roadways and to avoid unnecessary travel.
Important Safety Tips:
- Avoid Travel: If at all possible, remain indoors. Roads are hazardous, and conditions are likely to worsen as the freezing rain continues.
- Falling Trees & Power Lines:
- If you encounter downed trees or power lines, do not call 911 unless it is a life-threatening emergency. Emergency lines must be kept open for critical situations.
- For non-emergency downed power lines, please contact Hydro One at 1-800-434-1235.
Residents are advised to stay tuned to local news and weather updates, as well as monitor your local City/Township and Emergency Services social media channels for the latest information on the ongoing weather event. Power is steadily being restored throughout the region as crews work diligently, residents are asked to remain patient as some could still be without power for the next 24 hours.
Stay safe, stay informed, and please help keep emergency lines open for those in urgent need.
