Temperatures as low as –24 are expected in N.S. this weekend. Where can unhoused people go?

Temperatures across the province are expected to drop well into the –20s this weekend. That's worrying people living rough — and those who work with them. 

"The reality of –25 degree weather is that people really could die outside," said Campbell McClintock, a street outreach worker with Out of The Cold Community Association in Halifax. 

McClintock spent this week responding to texts and calls from community members concerned about the upcoming cold temperatures and blowing winds which will make the weather feel much colder. He delivered blankets, tarps, sleeping bags and propane to try and keep people warm.

He also helped people set up new tents. 

"And I'll be doing the same for the rest of the week until the deep, deep, cold hits," he said. "I feel that still not enough is being done and tents are absolutely not the solution. Housing is the only solution."

McClintock said shelters are also not the solution, even as a stopgap measure, because they're usually full.

He said he's working with growing numbers of people who have been evicted and can't find an affordable place to live. 

Ryan MacLean has been living in a tent covered by a tarp in downtown Halifax. He hopes to get a bed overnight in the Metro Turning Point shelter on Barrington Street, but says what he really needs is housing.

902ManUp staffing 3 warming centres in HRM for people experiencing homelessness

2 years ago

Duration 4:54

The group added bed capacity to the Christ Church shelter in Dartmouth and the North Park Street shelter in Halifax. They have opened a warming centre at St. Matthew’s Church on Barrington Street in Halifax. The CBC's Amy Smith has more with 902ManUp's founder, Marcus James.

"It's pretty difficult," MacLean said. "It's cold, wet. One of the hardest things is when you get wet, you can't really dry yourself out."

After being injured on the job, he can no longer work. But he said income assistance doesn't match rising rental costs in the city. 

"I've worked my whole life and it's tough not being able to work," he said. "And [income] assistance is nowhere near enough to live....  Any housing is like $900 for a room in a place, so it's tough."

In Sydney, Bill MacQueen said he has been living on the street for 12 years, seeking shelter wherever he can.

Earlier this week, he spent the night in an ATM vestibule.

"I used to sleep behind the fire station here on the grate, or across from the building there's a little doorway and they told me I couldn't do that no more," he said.

What's open this weekend

The provincial Department of Community Services says it's working with partners across the province, including shelters and municipalities, to ensure support is available for people experiencing homelessness.

According to the department and other community organizations, these are the supports that will be available this weekend:

Halifax Regional Municipality

• 902 Man Up is adding beds at the Christ Church shelter, 61 Dundas St., Dartmouth. It will be open for men, 8 p.m. to 8 a.m.
• 902 Man Up is expanding capacity at its shelter at 2029 North Park St., open Friday at 5 p.m. until Sunday at 9 a.m. 
• A warming centre at St. Matthew's United Church, 1479 Barrington St., will be open Friday at 5 p.m. to Sunday at 9 a.m. 
• Beacon House is extending opening hours from Friday at 6 p.m. to Monday at 7 a.m. at the warming centre on Metropolitan Avenue, Lower Sackville. 
• Adsum for Women and Children is opening a mini warming centre at The Alders, 2380 Gottingen St., from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday through Sunday.
• There will be a shelter at The Old School Gathering Place in Musquodoboit Harbour, open Friday at 4 p.m. to Sunday at 6 p.m.

People in HRM can call Adsum at 902-717-4837 or Welcome Housing at 782-640-0125 24/7 for help finding a safe, warm place to sleep. 

Cape Breton Regional Municipality

• In Sydney, the Community Housing Shelter on Townsend Street opens when the temperature reaches -15 C.

• The Ally Centre of Cape Breton's building on Prince Street will be open this weekend.

• Grand Lake Road Fire Department will have a room open as a comfort centre from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m.

• Boisdale Community Hall will be open from noon until 4 p.m.

• In Glace Bay, Town House is planning to open a warming station from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. only on Saturday, with free hot homemade soup and rolls.

New Glasgow

• Viola's Place Society at 189 Marsh St. will have increased bed capacity and extended hours. It will host a drop-in centre from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Friday. Intake for the shelter starts at 3 p.m. It will be open 24 hours a day on Saturday and Sunday.

Kentville

• Open Arms Resource Centre at 32 Cornwallis St. will have increased bed capacity and extended hours. 
• The Kentville Rec Centre at 354 Main St. will have a warming centre from Friday, Feb. 3 at 5 p.m. to Sunday, Feb. 5 at 9 a.m.

Truro

• Truro Housing Outreach Society - Haven House at 29 Arthur St. will have increased bed capacity and extended hours. 

Amherst

• The new emergency overnight shelter at 155 Church St. will have increased bed capacity and extended hours.

Yarmouth

• The Town of Yarmouth is opening a warming centre in the Yarmouth Fire Hall on Pleasant St., Friday and Saturday night from 6 p.m. until morning. 

Spokesperson Christina Deveau said the provincial government funds the additional staff and expenses their partners require for extended opening hours.

She said the province is also working with HRM to set up transport for people experiencing homelessness to other shelter locations in the region. The province has also posted a thread on Twitter listing resources.

Jim Gunn with Beacon House in Lower Sackville, N.S., said the shelter usually has 20 beds, but this weekend will increase to more than 30. 

"As we have in other storms, we are going to run the centre all weekend," Gunn said. "Normally it closes ... from 7 a.m. until 6 p.m. each day. But when it's bad weather, we keep it open."

Christine Porter, executive director for the Ally Centre of Cape Breton, said their building on Prince Street will be open for those who cannot stay in the community shelter.

She checked in on several people on Thursday and found they had survived after the temperature dropped to -15 C on Wednesday night.

Some are living in tents and others use heating grates and doorways when they can.

"There's a couple of more that I haven't seen yet today, but they made it through the night," she said.

"This weekend in particular is, you know, with the temperatures that we're expecting, they have to have shelter or they won't make it."