Canada

Photo: Contributed - City web site

Norman Wells - taken in July.

The town of Norman Wells in the Northwest Territories has declared a state of emergency after its heating supply was cut.

Imperial Oil (TSX:IMO) says a power outage early Monday morning at its facilities resulted in a controlled shutdown of its operations.

The company supplies natural gas to the town for residential heating.

Partial natural gas service was restored later Monday.

The MLA for the area, Norman Yakeleya, says it was -49C with the windchill on Monday and 850 residents, about 85 per cent of the townspeople, depend on natural gas to heat their homes.

He says the town's school was not affected and was being used as a centre for residents to go to if their heat was not on, but the town's health centre was and patients had to be moved.