Protecting Ontario's Vulnerable
Demanding consistent, low-barrier Warming Centres opened at 0° C throughout Ontario
CFUW Ontario Council urges the Ontario government to mandate a consistent, province-wide 0°C threshold for opening Warming Centres overnight, every night such temperatures occur, so that no community is left to guess how cold is too cold. While extreme cold is widely recognized as a danger to health, moderately cold weather (-5°C to 0°C) can also be fatal. These conditions are particularly dangerous for vulnerable populations. Without accessible indoor spaces, individuals are forced to take extreme and life-threatening risks to stay warm.
KEY FACTS
The numbers behind our position
-5°C to 0°C
A fatal temperature
72%
Of Toronto's hypothermic deaths occurred when it was warmer than -15°C
0°C to -20°C
Range at which Ontario cities currently open Warming Centres
0 to 4
range of # of Warming Centres in Ontario cities