Cleanup progressing after storm passes through eastern Ontario

The city of Ottawa has lifted its declaration of a "significant weather event" in the aftermath of a weekend storm that upended many people's holiday travel plans and left thousands without power.

The city lifted the rare designationshortly after 12 p.m. Monday after it was in place since Thursday.

"Recreation and cultural facilities with scheduled activities and rentals have been open since December 24 on their holiday schedules," a city spokesperson said in an email.

Power being restored across the province

At the peak, about 75,000 people were affected by power outages in the province, Hydro One spokespersonTiziana Baccega Rosa told CBC's Ottawa Morning Tuesday. She added that the storm presented a unique challengewhen compared with previous storms.

"If you look at the derecho, there was a start time and there was a clear end time," she said. "This sort of sat on us for a few days."

Baccega Rosa said crews have restored power to over 442,000 customers in the province, often working directly behind city snowplows. She estimated that fewer than 12,000 customers remain without power.

Highways, roadwaysmostly cleared

Highways were impassable during the storm in some counties ineastern Ontario, saidacting OPP Sgt. Erin Cranton.

"[Emergency crews] had almost 200 calls for service as a result of the storm,"Crantonsaid, and that hazardous conditions, including 10-foot-high snow drifts in Prince Edward County, made it difficult to reach them.

Most townships in eastern Ontario had vehicles abandonedalong major highways and roadways, she said.

"Those vehicles have been mostly removedthroughout last 24 hours," she said. "But in some areas, there arestill vehicles that need to be towed."

Sections of the 401 that were closed during the storm have now been reopened.

Crews in Ottawa are continuing to work tomaintain sidewalks, roads and bike lanes, the city said in a release.

"Please exercise caution when using City sidewalks, roads and the winter cycling network," the release said.

Warmer weather

Environment and Climate Change Canada is forecasting periods of snow Tuesday night and Wednesday morning and a risk of freezing drizzle in the afternoon.

Temperatures above freezing are expected for the rest of the week.