Vicky Bertrand, a young mother residing on the North Shore of Montreal, will not be able to join her family for Saturday night’s Eve. Like many other Quebecers, the storm of the last few days has prevented her from moving.
Some people who were looking forward to the first holiday gatherings without sanitary measures, like Mme Bertrand, will therefore have to take their troubles patiently.
“I’m really sad, because last year I had COVID, and the other one before there were restrictions,” she laments. I have a baby, so I don’t want to take the risk of hitting the road”. The young mother had to drive, with her child, between her residence in Mascouche and the house of a relative in Trois-Rivières.
The storm seems to be over in Mauricie, but Environment Canada maintained its blowing snow warning there for December 24, as in 12 other regions of the province.
“It’s my little one’s first Christmas, but it scares me, since my family isn’t that close,” adds Ms.me Bertrand. “In the storm, [elle] is even further”.
Difficult trips
Several people who were planning to take trains, ferries and planes to join their families in the past 24 hours have also encountered obstacles.
Hundreds of passengers on Via Rail trains in the Windsor-Quebec corridor were stopped for long hours as the tracks were clogged or some areas suffered power outages. Many train departures have also been canceled outright.
Users expressed their anger on social networks. “I’ve been on the train from Montreal to Toronto for 15 hours. There is no more food for the passengers”, was indignant a surfer.
I’m on the 669 train, I think right behind the 54. I’m 15 hours into the train going from Montreal to Toronto. There is no longer any food for the passengers. We are stopped for 2 hours in Cobourg City. @viarail #Merry Christmas https://t.co/YyckrCisuD
— @goodmorningcarlos (@gdmorningcarlos) December 24, 2022
“22.5 hours after the departure of our train from Montreal, we have just arrived in Toronto”, breathed another, still on Twitter, exasperated.
“The current situation with Via Rail is unacceptable,” said Federal Transport Minister Omar Alghabra. We are in contact to solve the problems in a safe way. Weather conditions have caused delays in our transportation system and the safety of passengers and crew is our priority. »
The effects of the pandemic persist
The storm is not the only spoilsport on this New Year’s Eve of December 24. Several families will once again be separated due to the pandemic this year.
Arsène Frenette-Quinty, a young Montreal professional, will not be able to join his father at the family home for New Year’s Eve because he contracted COVID-19 earlier this week.
“On the one hand, I feel a certain hatred against the virus and the restrictions, and on the other hand, I worry about my father,” he said. I feel guilty for being mad at the situation, but at the same time I really wonder if it’s going to be possible to have a normal Christmas one day. »
The Director of Public Health of Quebec, Luc Boileau, for his part, encourages all Quebecers to stay at home if they show symptoms of COVID-19 or other viruses. “A mask will not be enough,” he said at the microphone of Philippe-Vincent Foisy at 98.5, Thursday.