Perhaps those being hit the hardest with the cold weather has been people without homes in Prince George.
As an extreme weather warning was issued for the second time in a week, shelters in Prince George are full to the brim.
When temperatures drop this low, Extreme Weather Response is in effect, meaning shelters won’t turn anyone away, but according to St. Vincent De Paul chair Bernie Goold, there are many reasons that people won’t go to shelters.
For one, Goold said the centres are not set up to deal with anything more than people coming in with a backpack.
“Some of these people have suitcases, shopping carts,” said Goold.
“It’s their personal belongings, people take everything they own with them. Some people may think it’s junk but it’s their personal and only possessions.”
One man, who wished to remain anonymous, told MyPGNow.com outside of St. Vincent De Paul that he doesn’t go into the shelters and prefers to spend the night walking around.
“I can’t really stay in one spot, it’s too cold, and I’ll get kicked out of most places, but when the shelters are full they’re awful.”
Earlier this year, Goold reported that she’d never seen so many people sleeping on the street in Prince George. Up until the cold snap began last week, she said people were still sleeping outside of St. Vincent.
Goold said already this year they’ve seen many people with frostbitten hands.
For a listing of shelters in Prince George, you can follow this link.
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