VANCOUVER / VANCOUVER ISLAND / FRASER VALLEY — Crews are still repairing storm damage across British Columbia’s South Coast after a powerful windstorm and heavy rain knocked out electricity to tens of thousands of homes and businesses earlier this week. At the peak on Monday, BC Hydro reported outages affecting more than 90,000 customers across the Lower Mainland, Sunshine Coast, Vancouver Island, and the Gulf Islands, with additional outages expected while winds persisted.
Today’s (Dec. 17) updates add a new layer of urgency: Environment Canada is warning of strong westerly wind gusts up to 80 km/h in parts of Metro Vancouver, the Fraser Valley, and Vancouver Island areas, conditions that can bring down more trees and branches—especially where soils are saturated and vegetation is stressed.
Below is what we know right now, where outages hit hardest, what BC Hydro says about restoration timelines, and how to stay safe until the last pockets of power are restored.
At a glance: What’s new for Wednesday, Dec. 17
- BC Hydro (Dec. 17 regional alert): Crews say they’ve made “good progress” after Monday’s windstorm, but they were still working Tuesday evening to restore remaining customers—particularly in Kent and Hope. A difficult outage at Flood Hope Road is expected to require specialized crane equipment and is planned for Thursday morning with safety coordination. BC Hydro Outage
- Vancouver Island & Gulf Islands (Dec. 17 regional alert): BC Hydro says some customers should prepare to be without power overnight as crews work into the evening. Specific island outages mentioned include Salt Spring Island (Musgrave Landing area) and multiple locations on Galiano Island, with smaller Gulf Islands outages expected to be restored overnight.
- Environment Canada (updated morning of Dec. 17): A special weather statement warns westerly gusts up to 80 km/h that may cause tree damage, local power outages, and travel delays, with winds expected to ease but remain gusty early Wednesday as the front moves inland.
How big was the storm’s impact?
The windstorm’s most visible footprint has been on the electrical grid. On Monday afternoon, widespread outages spread across the South Coast:
- Over 90,000 customers were reported without power at the peak.
- Impact zones included the Lower Mainland, Sunshine Coast, Vancouver Island, and the Gulf Islands.
- Hardest-hit areas named in early updates included Langley, Maple Ridge, Victoria, Duncan, and Qualicum.
BC Hydro also issued an operational update stating that by late Monday afternoon, outages had dropped from the peak but were still extensive—around 70,000 customers without power—while warning more outages were possible if winds continued.
By Tuesday morning, the number of customers still without power was much smaller but still significant: a Canadian Press report published by CityNews said BC Hydro had more than 7,000 customers without power around 9 a.m. Tuesday, many tied to storm winds and downed lines.
Why are outages so widespread? Trees, saturated ground, and weakened vegetation
BC Hydro has pointed repeatedly to falling trees and branches—classic storm damage, but amplified by local conditions. In its operational update, the utility said high winds drove trees and limbs into power infrastructure (lines, poles, and equipment), and it noted that “weakened vegetation” after years of drought has made trees more vulnerable to wind damage. BC Hydro
That matters today because Wednesday’s wind threat arrives on top of already-stressed landscapes: saturated ground and ongoing rainfall warnings can reduce root stability, making it easier for trees to topple or drop heavy limbs onto energized lines.
Parksville–Qualicum Beach: Thousands affected as downed trees hit lines
On Vancouver Island, the Oceanside/PQB region was among the communities dealing with major outages as the storm moved through.
Local reporting from PQB News said that on Dec. 15, thousands of customers lost power in the Parksville–Qualicum Beach area, with downed trees taking out BC Hydro wires.
Among the key figures cited:
- More than 3,000 homes affected in an area stretching from the Alberni Highway in Parksville to Lee Road in French Creek.
- More than 6,000 customers lost power in Qualicum Beach, Dashwood, and Whiskey Creek, with some outages linked to trees across lines and others listed as under investigation at the time of reporting.
That report also tied the power situation to the broader weather pattern, noting an atmospheric river pushing into coastal B.C. through Tuesday.
West Vancouver & the North Shore: Circuit failures add to storm disruption
The North Shore saw its own dramatic power disruption, with failures affecting large areas in a short window.
- CityNews reported that a transmission circuit failure just before midnight Sunday affected a swath of the North Shore—from around Capilano Road in North Vancouver to 31st Street in West Vancouver—with over 15,000 homes and businesses without power as of 7 a.m. Monday.
- In a separate local report summary, North Shore News said more than 1,500 customers lost power in West Vancouver after a circuit failure at a North Vancouver substation.
- West Vancouver Police also posted that the power outage in large sections of West Vancouver was due to wires down and a transmission circuit failure, noting BC Hydro crews were on site.
The takeaway for residents is that outages aren’t only “tree-on-line” problems; in severe weather, failures can cascade through key pieces of transmission and substation equipment, creating wider blackout footprints even when the visible damage seems localized.
Restoration status today: Where crews are working on Dec. 17
BC Hydro’s outage map regional alerts dated 2025/12/17 provide the clearest snapshot of where restoration efforts are concentrated.
Lower Mainland: Kent and Hope remain focus areas
BC Hydro says crews have been repairing “significant damage” following Monday’s windstorm and have made “good progress,” but were still continuing efforts Tuesday evening to restore remaining customers in Kent and Hope. BC Hydro Outage
One outage stands out for complexity: Flood Hope Road is described as requiring coordination of specialized crane equipment and safety representatives, with crews expected to be on site Thursday morning.
Vancouver Island & Gulf Islands: Overnight work continues
For the Vancouver Island region (listed as “South VI” in the alert), BC Hydro says all available crews will continue working through the evening and overnight, but some customers should prepare to be without power overnight. BC Hydro Outage
The same alert calls out:
- Salt Spring Island: an outage impacting 44 customers at Musgrave Landing continuing overnight because daylight is required for safe work.
- Galiano Island: outages at Serenity Lane, Porlier Pass, and Active Pass continuing overnight.
- Smaller outages on Mayne Island, Pender Island, and Saturna Island were expected to be restored overnight.
Weather outlook: New wind gusts could slow final restoration
Environment Canada’s alert page updated Wednesday morning (Dec. 17) warns of strong westerly gusts to 80 km/h across parts of the South Coast, including Metro Vancouver, Fraser Valley (west, including Abbotsford), Howe Sound, and Vancouver Island areas near Cowichan Valley and Duncan.
The agency explicitly notes these winds may bring tree damage, local power outages, and travel delays, with winds easing but remaining gusty early Wednesday as the system pushes inland.
Meanwhile, a Canadian Press report carried by CityNews adds that rainfall warnings and wind forecasts remain in play for southwestern B.C., including the possibility of gusts reaching 100 km/h in some locations, and forecasts of up to 70 mm of rain in parts of Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley into Wednesday morning.
In short: even as crews close in on remaining outage pockets, the weather can still create fresh damage—especially in wooded neighbourhoods and on island feeder lines.
Safety: What to do during a storm-related power outage
Storm outages can be more than inconvenient—they can become dangerous quickly if people approach downed infrastructure or use unsafe heating/lighting.
Downed lines: treat every wire as live
BC Hydro’s warning is blunt: downed power lines are an emergency. The utility instructs people to call 911 immediately and stay at least 10 metres back.
Get updates the smart way
BC Hydro directs customers to check its outage list/outage map for the most current restoration estimates and to report outages if they’re not listed.
Prepare for “on-and-off” restoration
When crews repair a damaged circuit, service can sometimes return in stages—or briefly go off again if another hazard is discovered. If you’re still without electricity:
- keep mobile devices charged when possible,
- limit fridge/freezer opening,
- avoid candles where possible (use battery lights),
- and check on neighbours who may rely on powered medical equipment.
BC Hydro also maintains storm safety guidance under its power-outage preparedness resources.
Bottom line for Dec. 17, 2025
B.C.’s South Coast is in the late stages of a major restoration push after Monday’s windstorm knocked out power to more than 90,000 BC Hydro customers at its peak. While the number of affected customers has dropped sharply since Monday, BC Hydro’s Dec. 17 updates show remaining work concentrated in specific Mainland pockets (including Kent and Hope) and on island circuits where safety constraints and access can slow repairs.
With new wind gusts expected early Wednesday—and rain still in the mix—residents should be ready for lingering interruptions and the possibility of new outages where trees and saturated ground collide.
