Opening the doors

In the dead of winter, the bitter cold poses a serious threat to Toronto’s homeless residents. That’s why the city has long run so-called warming centres: heated spaces that provide a meal, a mat and a blanket to those in need on the year’s coldest days.

However, on the hottest days, which carry their own kind of danger, the city has not always been there for its most vulnerable residents. Until now, Torontonians without air conditioning have had nowhere to go when extreme heat hit. Only after temperatures reached above 31 C for three full days, prompting an extended heat warning, did municipal cooling centres open their doors.

That makes no sense. In fact, it’s dangerous, both for Toronto’s thousands of homeless people and for all those with no access to a cool place to stay on a dangerously hot day.

Which is why it’s welcome news that Toronto Public Health officials decided last week to open cooling centres after one day of extreme heat.

For homeless people who often huddle in coats or clutch downfilled sleeping bags they can’t afford to lose no matter the season, and others suffering in stiflingly hot homes, the decision could be life-saving.

Indeed, high temperatures and a lack of water can lead to heat exhaustion or, worse, heatstroke, which can put a strain on the heart and lead to cognitive impairment, unconsciousness and even death.

To stay healthy in extreme heat conditions, Torontonians are advised to drink plenty of cool water, stay in air-conditioned spaces and wear loose, light-coloured clothing. But, of course, those measures are often not possible for the city’s homeless residents.

This year’s hot summer shone a light on a policy failure the consequences of which were bound only to get worse. Extreme weather patterns — both hot and cold — are expected to increase with climate change. As Councillor Joe Mihevc, chair of the city’s board of health, noted: “We have to prepare for the heat just as much as the extreme cold.”

While the new measures are no doubt welcome, challenges remain. All but one of the city’s seven cooling centres offer respite from the heat only during the daytime, leaving homeless and other vulnerable residents to fend for themselves on dangerously hot nights. Worse, it’s not clear there will be enough funding to deliver on the city’s promise. It costs $3,000 a day to operate the cooling centres, and there is only a total budget of $30,000. “There is no extra funding to my knowledge,” Mihevc admits.

City council must find a way. As our summers get hotter, the threat to Toronto’s most vulnerable residents increases — along with our responsibility to protect them.