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Violent winds and changing weather could set back efforts to restore power to tens of thousands in Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick who are still in the dark after last weekend’s crippling ice storm, authorities said Friday.

More homes and businesses could lose electricity even as hydro crews strive to bring the lights back on for those who have gone without power for six days, authorities warned.

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Some may not get their electricity back until the new year, they said — a disheartening prospect for many who already spent the Christmas holiday without light or heat.

Utility companies and officials pleaded for patience, however, saying crews were working around the clock and nothing else could be done to speed up the process.

“I think we have done everything that we could’ve done,” Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne said in a news conference.

“Are there lessons that can be learned? I think in every situation like this, there are things that we maybe need to understand and do better…but overall, the way the system has responded has been excellent.”