Why doesn't the Sault have an emergency warming shelter plan?

Sudbury has one. North Bay has one.

Toronto has lots of them.

Sault Ste. Marie is looking into establishing an emergency warming shelter plan for cold weather.

"It was minus 38 the other day when I drafted this motion," Ward 3 Councillor Matthew Shoemaker told his City Council colleagues last night.

"I think this is a major need in our community," Shoemaker said.

"There are the most vulnerable people in our community in need of a place to go when the temperatures drop."

The following is the full text of the Shoemaker-authored resolution approved last night by City Council:

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Warming Shelter Plan

Mover: Councillor M. Shoemaker

Seconder: Councillor R. Niro

Whereas the City of Sault Ste. Marie’s current emergency management plan only provides for warming shelters in the event of widespread power outages; and

Whereas warming shelters protect the most vulnerable in the city, especially the homeless, in times of extreme cold across the city; and

Whereas the City of Sault Ste. Marie has recently experienced a significant period of extreme cold;

Now therefore be it resolved that appropriate staff, in conjunction with any other service provider who wishes to participate, be directed to bring forward to council a cold-weather response plan that aims to protect the most vulnerable people in the city from the extreme cold weather.

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