Council discusses lower threshold for extreme weather response
Councillors on the community and public services committee reviewed an updated policy on supporting vulnerable people during extreme weather conditions on May 11. The city offers seasonal supports regardless of the temperature, such as water stations, cooling centres, and N95 masks from mid-May to September, as well as cold-weather shuttles and warming stations from November to March. When the temperature is forecast to reach -20C with windchill for three consecutive days, the city deploys an additional shuttle and activates 50 shelter beds at Al Rashid Mosque.
Committee supported a motion from Coun. Erin Rutherford asking for administration to provide funding options for increasing extreme weather supports and adjusting the temperature thresholds, possibly to -15C in winter. Rutherford said that council should "make sure that if there's nominal changes we can make that can save people's lives or save people's limbs that we're at least considering them." Council will vote on the funding options when it deliberates the budget in the fall.
Committee also heard from advocates who were concerned about frontline staff who would be interacting with vulnerable people when city facilities such as recreation centres and libraries are used as heating and cooling centres. Many city employees, such as transit drivers and recreation centre workers, are not permitted to use naloxone while on shift. Coun. Jon Morgan, who used to be a transit driver, said he was having trouble accepting that the employees can't administer naloxone. "All I'm hearing is that it's a training issue and there's a little bit of a worry about liability… I think these are solvable problems." Committee supported a motion from Coun. Jon Morgan calling for a report about expanding naloxone training opportunities for staff members who want it.
