A local non-profit group is asking the City of Grand Forks to develop a plan to give people with nowhere else to go a place to warm up in below-zero temperatures.
Amanda Erickson of ANKORS, who co-ordinates the local community action team, spoke to city council Monday. ANKORS helps people with mental health, substance use, and housing issues. Erickson also works with the Grand Forks collaborative community wellness and safety group, which focuses on improving housing, especially for seniors.
Erickson said she has provided the city with material from the provincial government on cold weather, municipal responsibilities, and provincial funding opportunities.
“We are hoping to work together with you to support the most vulnerable populations in Grand Forks during this coming winter,” she said.
Erickson said most cities in the Interior have cold weather plans that are activated when the temperature falls below a certain threshold, or during special winter weather warnings. She listed Nelson, Trail, and Cranbrook as examples, but wasn’t sure if any others already exist in the Boundary.
She said developing a cold weather plan for Grand Forks would come at no cost to the city, as funds are available from the Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness.
Erickson said local service workers estimate 30 to 35 people in Grand Forks are homeless. She noted the local shelter has 15 beds and is reportedly full every night, leaving 15 to 20 people with nowhere to go in cold weather, including seniors.
“We have grave concerns about their health and welfare and conditions like frostbite, especially at night when the temperature can drop below minus-10 or when it’s very snowy and damp,” she said.
Erickson said the ANKORS office at 7331 3rd Street provides a warming drop-in centre Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. However, after hours and on weekends, it is not an option. That is where they would like the city to step in.
“A cold weather plan could bring people off the streets and out of the public spaces,” she said. “Then people could have a private, safe space, personal dignity, warmth, connection, and even an opportunity for support or rehabilitation services.”
Erickson said there is an option to apply for winter supply kits through the provincial government, which could include boots, hats, or mitts.
Tanis Carson, an ANKORS outreach worker, pointed to studies that found providing housing programs, including emergency shelters, can reduce health care costs and improve health outcomes for homeless people.
Mayor Everett Baker noted the city received a letter from Interior Health supporting a cold weather plan. However, council took no immediate action other than to receive the presentation for information.
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