Two people from Haliburton County were shuttled to Lindsay this past weekend as part of a program designed to keep folks off the streets during extreme weather.
With temperatures plummeting as low as -15 degrees Celsius Jan. 24, feeling like -38 C with the wind chill, the joint Out of the Cold program offered by the County of Haliburton and City of Kawartha Lakes was offering emergency shelter to people in need across the region.
The initiative relaunched Dec. 1 and will run until March 31, with Michelle Corley, human services manager for housing with Kawartha Lakes – the County’s social services provider – saying temporary shelter is available to people experiencing homelessness whenever temperatures fall below -10 C, or a significant winter weather event is declared.
Both of those parameters occurred last weekend. A cold weather system from the Arctic hit most of southern Ontario, with Lakelands Public Health issuing a cold weather warning for the County Jan. 23. The public health unit said the plummeting temperature significantly increases the risk of frostbite and hypothermia to people stuck outdoors.
Kawartha Lakes and the County partners with non-profit A Place Called Home for the program, with the group boasting a 30-bed emergency shelter in Lindsay. If full, Corley said people are put up in motels. Transportation options are available to people in the County.
“Given the recent period of extreme cold, our priority is ensuring that anyone who needs emergency shelter is able to access it,” Corley said. “The city’s outreach staff, who support individuals across the County experiencing homelessness or precarious housing, are actively checking in on those at greatest risk.”
Corley said as of November, the city was working with 10 people known to be staying in trailers or cabins in the County. This winter, the program has supported 12 people from the County, providing shelter over 81 nights.
Last year, 20 people from the County utilized the program, Corley confirmed.
Anyone requiring support can contact A Place Called Home directly at 705-328-0905
