TORONTO, Feb 18, 2026, 07:24 EST
- Alectra is pointing to salt and de-icing residue as the culprits behind a series of power outages that have hit York and sections of Peel.
- The utility is cautioning that with higher temperatures and moisture in the forecast, more outages could be on the way.
- Mississauga is expanding fee breaks for new rental projects, part of a push to accelerate apartment building.
Alectra Utilities on Tuesday said it’s brought in additional crews to deal with a surge of power outages and voltage spikes across York Region—mostly in Vaughan—and some areas of Peel Region. The company pointed to salt and other road de-icers used during the prolonged winter cold as the main culprits. More outages could hit in the coming days, Alectra warned. (GlobeNewswire)
Interruptions keep hitting right in the middle of a winter that’s already pushed the power grid to its limits in the outer suburbs of the Greater Toronto Area. Residents out there aren’t seeing one prolonged blackout—they’re getting a series of repeated, stop-and-go outages instead.
Alectra isn’t just a minor utility. The company serves over a million homes and businesses in 17 Ontario communities across the “Greater Golden Horseshoe,” according to Alectra. That kind of reach means even short interruptions can hit workplaces, snarl traffic, and affect densely packed neighbourhoods fast.
Alectra points to a pattern: cold, dry spells followed by warmer air. Salt sticks to overhead gear, and once melting snow or rain hits, moisture plays a role, leading to electrical faults. Those faults can trigger protective devices, cutting power to stop potential damage.
Crews are out washing down equipment and handling repairs, the company said. System controllers, meanwhile, are working remote switches to bring power back online for large groups of customers.
Alectra reported that most outages were just “momentary”—a quick flicker for many customers. Still, some lost power for longer stretches as crews worked to locate and fix damaged equipment.
Mississauga City Council has given the green light to an expansion of its development-charges incentive program, a fee waiver that’s supposed to spur more purpose-built rental builds, according to ConstructConnect. Builders now won’t pay development charges on one-bedroom-plus-den or two-bedroom units, provided they secure permits before Nov. 13, 2026. (constructconnect.com)
Efforts to lower cost barriers for rental developments stuck in financing limbo are underway in cities around the region. Mississauga is betting on zoning tweaks and fee breaks, aiming to boost the supply of larger family rentals. The Region of Peel, according to the report, has started to adopt some of those same strategies.
“Mississauga needs more rental housing for families who continue to be priced out of home ownership,” Mayor Carolyn Parrish said in a city release announcing the city’s wider break on development charges. “That’s why we’re eliminating development charges for more types of rental units.” (City of Mississauga)
Parallel pressures are stacking up. More apartments and new neighbourhoods keep coming, putting fresh strain on local infrastructure. Then, those persistent power issues — even brief outages — disrupt life for residents and make it harder for small businesses to stay open.
Both fronts carry their own risks. Alectra warned that widespread salt contamination, mixed with shifting weather, might trigger further outages before crews wrap up repairs and cleanup. On the housing side, dropping development charges could tighten city budgets, just as municipalities are on the hook for new roads, water systems, and transit to keep up with incoming growth.
