With Jack Frost nipping, West Nipissing is preparing for the extreme cold to come. Council unveiled a new extreme cold weather plan which will guide municipal response when the temperature falls. This is the first document of this type for the municipality, so discussions are still underway as to how to improve it.
This new policy is not to be thought of as a warming centre, council emphasized. Recently, members of the community called on council to open a warming centre for the homeless within the region, as those numbers were rising this fall.
“We have to stay focused on what this is,” Councillor Jamie Restoule said. “This isn’t a warming centre, this isn’t a shelter, this is an extreme weather policy and it’s a new first step for us.”
See: West Nipissing’s warming centre on ice for now
Indeed, as council has made clear, a warming centre falls under the purview of the District of Nipissing Social Services Administrative Board (DNSSAB), which the town is working closely with to discern options for increasing local services to those in need in West Nipissing.
“We’re still working with our partners,” West Nipissing Chief Administrative Officer Jay Barbeau said. Adding that opening and operating a warming centre “is a much more complex issue” to tackle, and DNSSAB is equipped to navigate those issues.
The new extreme cold weather policy takes effect when the mercury hits -40 degrees Celsius. This is the threshold used by Environment and Climate Change Canada, however, some members of council felt it was a little too extreme and suggested raising it to -30. The conversation will continue at the next meeting.
When the threshold hits, the West Nipissing Emergency Control Group will gather to implement the plan. The goal is to “provide targeted relief for the most valuable populations at higher risk of negative health impacts of cold weather conditions,” the municipality noted.
Frostbite and hypothermia pose the largest threat when the extreme cold grips you, and the municipality will open more public spaces for people to seek warmth and shelter. The arenas or library could be used to warm people, and if necessary, the hours of operation will be extended at certain facilities.
The extreme cold warming centres will benefit all citizens. For instance, a storm knocks out your hydro, and your heaters fail. Might be smart to take the family to a warming centre. Of course, the homeless will benefit, and part of the extreme cold plan is to also maintain “wellness checks within the community.”
The Emergency Control Group will also work closely with social services to help people in need coordinate with regional agencies and outreach workers.
“This is a fluid plan,” Barbeau clarified, and staff intend to continue talks with DNSSAB regarding “local response for West Nipissing.”
David Briggs is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of BayToday, a publication of Village Media. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.
