A council committee has recommended changing London’s cold weather response to homelessness fewer than six months after the policy was approved. In September, council approved a three-tiered response to cold weather that included expanding spaces in existing homeless shelters when temperatures drop below -5 C and opening the Boyle Memorial Community Centre for 60 people when temperatures drop to -15 C with a windchill of -20. Per the policy, city staff have not opened the community centre to homeless Londoners when only one of the two temperature criteria are forecast (-15 C temperature and -20 wind chill). A motion by several councillors sought to amend the policy by changing the word “with” to “or” - meaning that only one of the two temperature thresholds would have to be met to trigger an opening. The subtle wording change would have a big impact on the frequency that homeless Londoners can access the emergency cold weather shelter. Based on typical winter weather in London, the current policy would see the emergency shelter open 10 times each winter, but the amendment would open it over 30 nights. On Monday, the public gallery in council chambers was at capacity with stakeholders. Several delegates told the Community and Protective Services (CAPS) Committee about homeless Londoners traveling to Boyle Memorial Community Centre on some frigid nights in January, only to find it closed because of the strict temperature criteria. “Grown men and women crying in our donut shop because of the trauma of being outside all night after walking to Boyle,” said Tara Davies of Dough EV. “Do you remember my friend Olivia who burned alive trying to stay warm in a tent?” formerly homeless Londoner Robert Klemm asked councillors. “Do you remember my friend Blue who fell asleep in the cold and woke up with his leg amputated? Or how about the girl who froze to death in front of our library?” Following a lengthy discussion, the committee recommended relaxing the requirements for utilizing the community centre as an emergency shelter. It would open whenever temperatures drop to -15 C or -20 with wind chill, or when Environment Canada issues an extreme weather alert for London (yellow, orange, or red). Each night costs between $12,000 and $14,500, so a budget of $290,000 (from a reserve fund) was recommended for at least 20 additional nights depending on weather conditions. The committee also backed spending up to $250,000 from a reserve fund to let local agencies offer additional overnight warming spaces (based on staffing, safety and programming needs) when the temperature drops below -5 C overnight until April 30, 2026. Other minor amendments supported by the committee included adjusting the closing time at the emergency shelter at Boyle so as not to coincide with children boarding school buses and posting on the City of London website the rules, recommendations, and supports available to unhoused individuals during subzero temperatures. Finally, the motion would direct staff to investigate and prepare a report containing options for the 2026-2027 season including an enhanced emergency shelter plan. The recommendations to enhance London’s extreme cold response will still need to be approved by council. In the meantime, the existing rules, funding, and criteria remain in place. The next council meeting isn’t until Feb. 10.
