Barriers facing vulnerable people trying to stay cool

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    It was another day of oppressive heat and humidity, forcing Toronto's unhoused population to swelter on the streets. Caryn Ceolin with where the city is sending vulnerable people to find relief and why advocates say it’s not appropriate.

    By Caryn Ceolin

    As the GTA sweated through another day of extreme heat and sweltering conditions, the city’s Heat Relief Network was once again available to provide relief to residents.

    The city’s current heat relief strategy provides more than 500 spaces for cooling off, including libraries, civic centres, indoor and outdoor pools, splash pads and malls. Previously when heat warnings were issued, a handful of temporary cooling centres were also opened.

    Despite an increase in the number of cooling locations now, there is concern the city is sending unhoused people where they are not welcome.

    “I’ve had people where they have been, not necessarily where they’ve had police arrest them, but they’ve been chased out of using things like a splash pad, for example,” says Diana Chan McNally, the harm reduction case manager at All Saints Toronto.

    “If you see a grown adult or unhoused person at a children’s splash pad, that’s going to set off alarm bells. So it’s obviously not appropriate.”

    The community and crisis worker says the former cooling centres used to have snacks, water bottles and access to healthcare. And she points out that community centres and libraries are only open during their regular hours offering little relief from the stuffy heat at night.

    “What I’ve been arguing for is that we just have dedicated 24/7 space that’s walk-in access for anybody regardless of what the weather is,” she says.

    Another barrier is the city’s interactive map of cool spaces which requires a device and the internet to find one.

    “This is a giant vacuum of nothingness!” outreach worker Lorraine Lam tells CityNews while scrolling through the maps features. She points out that there are a lot of gaps on the map itself between locations.

    “This map allows you to say okay what if I need to fill up my water bottle or a drinking fountain, and you’ll see that there really isn’t anything in this neighbourhood,” she explains while looking at an area in the downtown core.

    “The closest around Yonge and Dundas would be the Eaton Centre and then there’s a lot of nothing until they get up to the Bay and Bloor area so there’s not a lot of resources across the city for people.”

    The City did not make anyone available for an interview but, citig a struggling shelter system, said in a statement: “Urgent support is needed from the provincial and federal governments to help address the complex elements of homelessness in Toronto.”

    “We are actively turning away over 200 people a day from the shelter system,” said McNally. “We’re in a crisis right now and anyone who is walking around the city of Toronto can see that.”

    The hot weather comes on the heels of wildfire smoke that last week saw Toronto topping a list of world cities with the worst air quality, dealing a dangerous one-two punch to those with no shelter.

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