Canada How other cities help the homeless during extreme cold

© Mary Altaffer © Mary Altaffer A woman drags her suitcases in a snowstorm through Times Square on her way to a hotel Thursday in New York City.

Mayor John Tory announced Wednesday the city is talking to Ottawa about opening the Moss Park Armoury to Toronto’s homeless population, amid calls that the city isn’t working hard enough to get them out of the extreme cold. Metro takes a look at what other cities are doing, from cold-weather bus passes to shelter in transit stations.

New York City

When the temperature drops below 0 C between 4 p.m. and 8 a.m., the city issues a Code Blue. It’s similar to Toronto’s extreme cold alert but with a snappier name.

Toronto Polar Bear Dip cancelled over extreme cold, frozen lake

The Toronto Polar Bear Dip has cancelled their annual event on New Year's Day due to the extreme cold that’s gripped the GTA this week. “Unfortunately due to ice conditions at Sunnyside Beach and in consideration of participant safety we have made the difficult decision to cancel the Toronto Polar Bear Dip for the first time in 13 years,” the page said in a statement on Facebook. The event, which takes place each year at Sunnyside Beach, was cancelled because the group won’t be able to get 600 people in and out of the lake safely with the current icy conditions. “The beach area and segment of water that we use are completely frozen — we're a small group of three guys and we simply don't have th

HOME > WHAT WE DO BY TOPIC > HOMELESSNESS > EMERGENCY SHELTER COMMISSION > Homeless Resources for Extreme Cold Weather During winter storms or any time the temperature falls below freezing, a network of city agencies, homeless shelters, street outreach teams and other

Other shelters throughout the city are instructed to release service restrictions they may have during periods of extreme cold . In addition to these efforts to help the homeless , the city works to provide the public with information regarding the health impacts and risks associated with extreme cold , as

The city resolves that, during a Code Blue, no homeless person looking for shelter will be turned away, Isaac McGinn, press secretary for the N.Y.C. Department of Homeless Services, wrote in an email.

Outreach teams are doubled. Members contact vulnerable people on a list they’ve compiled — every four hours, starting at 8 p.m. — encouraging them to get out of the cold and into shelters. During an enhanced Code Blue, they check every two hours. The city also committed to adding 250 new beds for the homeless this week.

Montreal

The Canadian Press reported in December that the transit service in the city invites homeless people into stations to warm up during extreme cold temperatures.

The Société de transport de Montréal has teamed up with social service agencies for the past five years. In addition to sending social workers, it provides a free shuttle to get homeless people to shelters once stations close for the night.

Canada's bitter weather has even penguins coming out of the cold

Just how cold is it in Canada? Ask the penguins at the Calgary zoo: Even they have had to take shelter. King penguins -- one of five species at the zoo in western Alberta province -- are certainly accustomed to chilly weather, more so than species like the Humboldt that prefer somewhat warmer climes, said zoo curator Malu Celli.

The mercury dipped so low on Wednesday it prompted extreme cold warnings across the country. Montreal’s estimated 3,000 homeless are among those most vulnerable during such cold snaps. The city and various local organizations are stepping up their efforts to help those in need this winter.

"And the low-income individuals who live on the streets are particularly at risk during extreme If you can't help someone find shelter, or if the temperatures are still cold but not blistering (in many cities , including How To Help The Homeless Homelessness Homeless Winter Winter Storm Homeless .

Edmonton

When the temperature drops to -20 C or below (including wind chill) and shelters are at 90 per cent capacity, the city’s central light-rail-transit station may be kept open overnight as a last resort, a spokesperson for Homeward Trust homeless services wrote in an email. In that event, crisis services and emergency medical support will be on hand.

Nashville

This Tennessee city may not seem like a place where cold is a big concern, but city officials and non-profits have a four-level Cold Weather Community Response Plan to ensure homeless people have a place to stay.

Nashville also has a novel solution for getting them off the street: free bus passes. The passes are activated when the temperature drops to 0 C or below for 24 hours. People can use them to grab a free ride to a shelter or just get a break from the cold.

This winter, outreach workers have handed out 200 cold-weather bus passes to people living in encampments, communications adviser Michael Cass wrote in an email from the mayor’s office.