Homeless people are ‘freezing outside’ as temperatures plunge in Timmins

With the wind chill falling to the -30s this week in Timmins, it’s not a stretch to say that winter has not been easy, especially for to people who are homeless

As the city issued an extreme cold weather alert this week, an organization that helps unhoused individuals says there aren’t enough beds in Timmins, Ont., to shelter all the people who need them.

“The city talks about how people should access the local emergency shelters, but we know that there’s not enough beds, there’s not enough space,” said Jason Sereda, coordinator of DIY Community Health Timmins.

Sereda said arriving early doesn’t guarantee a spot at the emergency shelters, leaving many asking how they will survive the cold nights.

“So oftentimes people get there in the middle of the night, or get there at the right time to get one of those beds and they’re turned away,” he said.

“And they’re turned away without any sort of solution of what they might do.”

“I couldn’t even get a bed last night,” said James Caron, a local man who’s experiencing homelessness.

“I had to basically warm up and leave. So, I mean, it’s cold … everyone’s trying to find a spot, blankets, you know, candles, stuff like that. It’s kind of sad.”

Sereda said while residents are doing what they can to drop off winter apparel (socks, long underwear and handwarmers are in high demand) at the mutual aid centre, the City of Timmins needs to do more to shelter people.

He said there are at least 100 people walking the streets at night because they don’t have a place to sleep.

“They’re freezing outside, that’s what people are doing,” said Sereda.

“They’re getting frostbite, they’re getting other cold-related injuries — people are almost dying. I think we’re lucky that we haven’t had any deaths so far this winter.”

“We do have a good connection with a community nurse who is available in between her appointments,” said Michelle Couture, a harm reduction worker with DIY Community Health.

“For stuff like wound care, foot care, we do offer basic wound care supplies, as well. Folks, in my experience, are quite good at covering their own wounds if we have the supplies available.”

CTV News reached out to the City of Timmins and other organizations that work with unhoused individuals, but no one was available to speak with us before our news deadline.

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