City to open 4 warming centres on New Year's Eve
The City of Toronto is opening four warming centres on New Year's Eve as temperatures in the city are expected to plummet overnight.
Warming centres, which are opened when temperatures reach -5 C or when Environment and Climate Change Canada issue a winter weather event warning, give people experiencing homelessness a warm place to rest, with access to facilities and other community services.
Temperatures are expected to drop Sunday evening, with a low of -4 C. With wind chill, it'll feel like -10 C overnight.
The centres open at 5 a.m. for walk-ins at:
136 Spadina Road, south of Dupont Street.
75 Elizabeth Street, behind city hall and west of Bay Street, south of Dundas Street W.
North York Warming Centre, at 15 Olive Avenue east of Yonge Street and south of Finch Avenue E.
885 Scarborough Golf Club Road, east of Markham Road and south of Ellesmere Road.
If centres are at capacity, the city says it will help transport people to other warming centres that have the space.
As of Dec. 28, the city said it's been supporting 11,540 people through its shelter system, with the majority in its shelter system. The city has seen an unprecedented strain on its shelter system in recent years, leading to the system turning away some in need and an overflow of refugee claimants on city streets.
