The Downtown Mission is preparing for the cold winter weather in the forecast this weekend.
Environment Canada calls for snow this weekend and nighttime lows of -17C by Sunday.
The Downtown Mission is prepared to welcome anyone needing shelter from the cold.
The overnight Sanctuary Shelter Program and 24-hour warming centre will be fully operational. The Sanctuary Program has 96 beds and ten crash mats available, beginning at 8 p.m. each evening.
If the shelter is full, the Mission's warming centre can accommodate another 30 people from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.
With the extreme conditions in the weather forecast, we expect many more will be seeking a place to get out of the cold, even if it's just to get out of the elements for a few hours. We have created this additional space for people to get warm and have at least a brief respite from the elements. No one needs to risk being on the streets during this time,” said Rukshini Ponniah-Goulin, Executive Director.
During the day, the dining room will have between 40 to 50 seats available for respite. These seats will be rotated to accommodate the three-meal-a-day schedule.
