Supporting vulnerable Calgarians during cold snap

The warmer-than-usual February temperatures have come to an end, with up to 30 centimetres of snow and colder temperatures Tuesday.

And with the continuous snowfall and temperatures set to drop below – 20 C this week, houselessness advocates say weeks like this can be the most dangerous to those without shelter.

Chaz Smith, the CEO of Be-The-Change-YYC, says it’s difficult for those in the cold.

“We’re no strangers to meeting with folks who sleep rough outside, and they have frostbite or already have amputations on fingers, toes, and other parts of the body due to element exposure,” he said.

“We as a society need to continue advocating for better because housing is a human right.”

Smith says his outreach team will be on the streets this week, serving roughly 150 vulnerable Calgarians per shift.

“They’ll hand out mitts, toques, scarves, jackets. There’s a paramedic on each team for wound care, so frostbite care, bandage changes, small infection treatment, and we will refer folks to access shelters,” Smith said.

Calgary’s shelters have been operating at around 75 per cent capacity this winter, with demand increasing during extreme weather conditions.

Several warming locations in the city also opened to those in need.

The Mustard Seed Calgary offers a warming station at its location on 11 Ave S.E. Every day, it's open from 7 a.m. – 7 p.m., with bagged lunches and snacks, coffee and a warming room. See the full list of #YYC warming stations: https://t.co/a9tzAkNRMF. #FightingHomelessness

— Calgary Homeless Foundation (@calgaryhomeless) February 8, 2023

With the freezing temperatures and increased snowfall, Smith reminds Calgarians to look out for one another.

“We just need to remember to be kind and when we look at someone and they’re often in their worst moments of their life, to not judge them,” he said.