Answers to 6 questions about the Hydro Ottawa workers' strike

Around 400 Hydro Ottawa employees took to the picket lines Wednesday as they strike for a new contract with the utility.

The employees include trade, technical and inside workers. Seventy-four per cent of workers represented by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) voted to reject Hydro Ottawa's latest offer, leading to the strike.

Here are answers to some common questions about the strike.

Will the lights stay on?

Short answer, yes. Hydro Ottawa says it has activated a contingency plan to maintain services, but some work might be rescheduled or delayed.

"While it may not be business as usual, our customers can rest assured that we remain committed to providing them with the same safe and reliable electricity at a time when they need it most," Hydro Ottawa says. "Our Customer Service team and online services will remain available."

What happens if the power goes out?

Hydro Ottawa says it has additional resources ready to respond to power outages, but restoration times will be longer than usual.

In the event of a major outage event or a public safety emergency, Hydro Ottawa says it will respond.

"We have additional resources ready to support outage restoration efforts, and we will do everything we can to ensure we respond to issues as quickly as possible," the company says. "Restoration times will be slower than under normal operating circumstances.

"In case of major weather events, calls will be assessed and prioritized based on public safety and risk level."

Can I make a service request?

Yes, but it won't be processed until after the strike has ended.

Hydro Ottawa is rescheduling all electrical and non-electrical service requests that were scheduled for Wednesday or any time afterwards to another date. Customers will be contacted directly by Hydro Ottawa once normal business operations have resumed to reschedule.

Will trees be trimmed?

Yes. Regular tree trimming will continue during the strike.

What are the issues?

The IBEW says the major issues in the dispute are compensation, benefits and the working environment at Hydro Ottawa, including issues around safety and understaffing.

Hydro Ottawa offered workers an average raise of 3.4 per cent per year, but 74 per cent of voting members rejected it. They have been without a contract since the end of March.

The union says its workers rank 23rd in the province for compensation despite being one of the five largest utilities in Ontario.

How long will the strike last?

There has been no immediate indication that the two sides are close to a deal.

Hydro Ottawa CEO Bryce Conrad encouraged the union to come to the table.

"Hydro Ottawa values and appreciates the hard work and dedication of all of our employees. Since I've been at this company, I've operated with an open door policy, this situation is no different," Conrad said in a statement.

Speaking to CTV News Ottawa, Mike Hall, IBEW Local 636 business representative, said he couldn't guess how long it might take.

"In a perfect world, this would be over very soon. It's not a perfect world. We know what we're up against here," he said. "I think it's going to be many weeks."