With temperatures expected to dip down to minus 4°C this week, the city is opening emergency warming shelters to get vulnerable people out of the cold.
The warming centres will be open on Monday and Tuesday with possible extensions if the mercury continues to dip.
Warming centres are activated in the city in response to “extreme cold” as a “life-saving response for people sleeping outside during the city’s coldest months.”
They will be open at the following locations:
- Britannia Community Centre – 1739 Venables Street (Monday, December 3, 10 pm – 8:30 am and Tuesday, December 4, 9 pm – 8:30 am)
- West End Community Centre – 870 Denman Street (Monday, December 3 and Tuesday, December 4, 11 pm – 6 am)
- Powell Street Getaway – 528 Powell Street (Monday, December 3 and Tuesday, December 4, 9 pm – 7 am)
- Vancouver Public Library – 350 West Georgia Street (Tuesday, December 4, 11 pm – 7 am)
Warming centres in Vancouver are activated when the temperature reaches -5°C or below (or it feels like -5°C or below).
Pets, bikes and carts are allowed in the centres, and visitors are welcome.
The city says community centres and other buildings are also available during their opening hours as spaces to warm up from the cold.
Up to 100 people used the City’s warming centres on last year’s opening night.
More information on the City’s winter response is available here.
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