Tempête de verglas de 1998

The gathering storm

From 4-10 January 1998, a major ice storm struck parts of Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick. It was a series of smaller storms that caused a prolonged period of ice pellets and freezing rain in the region. Portions of the St. Lawrence Valley and Quebec’s Eastern Townships received up to 100 mm of ice pellets and freezing rain in a single week, more than double their yearly average.

A trail of devastation

The powerful storm and cold temperatures that followed caused widespread devastation. Countless trees were toppled, power lines snapped and buildings damaged. The storm turned roads into impassable rivers of ice, where downed power lines were covered in ice. Life in large cities like Montreal and Ottawa was largely shut down, with millions left without electricity as power grids were destroyed. The Ice Storm of 1998 injured almost 1,000 people and temporarily displaced more than 600,000. Roughly 35 Canadian deaths were attributed to the storm.

Requests for help

On 7 January 1998, in the midst of the ice storm, the impacted provinces requested aid from the federal government. Responding to the requests from Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick, the CAF launched Operation Recuperation the next day. The military helped municipal and provincial authorities in a wide array of recovery efforts. Working with local utility companies, they helped restore damaged electrical towers, and freed power lines that were trapped in centimetres of ice. They also helped their fellow Canadians in other ways, like clearing roads, downed trees and the debris around people’s homes. Canada’s military also provided shelter, food and medical care during the ice storm.

A massive mission

Operation Recuperation remains the largest domestic troop deployment in Canadian history, and the largest operational deployment since the Korean War. In total, more than 15,000 military personnel deployed to assist in recovery efforts. They were drawn from roughly 200 different units, from across the country and the three branches of the CAF.

Their remarkable determination and tireless efforts brought relief to countless people battered by the storm, until the end of the operation on 28 February 1998.

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