Shelter from the cold weather

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(Updated) It’s a brutal blast of icy weather. Extreme cold alerts have been issued for much of the province as we’re in the midst of a deep freeze.

Temperatures are expected to fall to minus 17 overnight. But it will feel much colder. That has social service agencies pulling out all the stops to make sure the homeless and vulnerable people are off the streets and out of the cold.

The streets can be a mean, unforgiving place to be in the warm weather. But when the temperature drops drastically being homeless can be deadly.

They walk the cold streets wrapped in blankets, sitting on the cold sidewalk eating a warm meal from the Salvation Army community support team. Many wondering why it has to be this way in a country like Canada.

Dale MacNevin used to be homeless — now he helps the homeless find shelter: “Why do people have to live on the street. Why do they have to be found dead before someone realized there’s a problem. Something’s gotta’ be done. This is not a way to live.”

Monday night, a man police say was known to have been homeless, was found dead at a bus shelter in Toronto. It’s believed the cold weather contributed to his death.

And as the temperature drops, the shelters fill up. Mary’s Place, the Good Shepherd women’s shelter are already over capacity, the men’s shelter is full. The family shelter has 80 rooms and already 100 families staying there. But officials say no one will be turned away on a night like this.

Katherine Kalinowski is with the Good Shepherd: “A cold alert causes us to initiate a protocol where regardless of the circumstances we will bring people in to shelter if they don’t have a safe place to be because of the weather.”

The Salvation Army is out delivering a warm coffee or cup of soup on a cold night. They also brought along a bucket of hats, mitts and scarves for those who need it.

Kirk Luey is looking for shelter: “It’s too cold plus when you don’t have anything to sleep with its cold.”

While the Salvation Army community support team hands out warm soup and coffee, the outreach teams are on the hunt making sure everyone is out of the cold.

Dan Miller is with the Salvation Army: “All the ministries, the Good Shepherd, the Salvation Army, we all get together on cold alerts and go out together and make sure everyone is in off the streets when shelters are all full.”

And they are full and going into overflow which means a mattress on the floor, but at least it’s warm and secure.

Officials say that the real problem is a lack of affordable housing.