Emergency warming centres across Saskatchewan are bracing for the extreme cold, with frigid temperatures and wind chill making it feel like –40 C in parts of the province overnight Thursday.
Environment and Climate Change Canada issued extreme cold warnings Thursday for a swath of Saskatchewan that includes the Battlefords in the west, Saskatoon and extends east to the Manitoba border, including Yorkton.
In Saskatoon, the temperature with the wind chill could feel like –40 C overnight, the weather agency says. Friday morning in Regina could feel like –42 C with the wind chill, according to Environment Canada.
Housing advocates and shelters in Saskatoon and Regina have been warning about a lack of overnight warming spaces for vulnerable people as winter weather loomed.
Prairie Harm Reduction in Saskatoon briefly opened a 24-hour emergency warming space in the wake of the city’s first large snowstorm.
Environment and Climate Change Canada issued extreme cold warnings Thursday for a swath of Saskatchewan, seen here in red. (Environment and Climate Change Canada)
There are now two overnight warming centres in each city, but one of Saskatoon’s won’t open for another 10 days. You can see the list below.
Carmichael Outreach in Regina can host up to 100 people looking to stay warm, but demand is always rising, said development co-ordinator Chrysta Garner.
“We have a lot of people that come in, and they’re just so tired because they’ve been up and they’ve been walking all day,” Garner said.
“And so if they need to relax and have that bit of a snooze, we don’t say no — you can’t. There could be a lot of other factors, not just drug use, that could be putting them under. It could be hypothermia.”
Carmichael Outreach development co-ordinator Chrysta Garner says there’s high demand for shelter beds. (Laura Sciarpelletti/CBC)
She wants the City of Regina to be more involved with front-line organizations.
“They should be reaching out to the outreach centres,” Garner said.
“Let’s have a conversation and figure out where all these gaps are. Right now we have four hours throughout our day that we are not able to open. And in those four hours, that could mean life or death to someone.”
Warming centre locations
In Saskatoon, there are two two overnight warming centres, although one overnight shelter doesn’t open until Dec. 9:
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Saskatoon Indian and Métis Friendship Centre at 168 Wall St. is open every day from 11 p.m. to 9 a.m.
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St. Mary’s Church at 211 Avenue O S. will open 11 p.m. to 8 a.m. every day for adult men starting on Dec. 9.
In Regina, there are two overnight warming centres: