Cooling centre to help the vulnerable in Sudbury
Hot weather can pose many challenges, especially for those living on the streets and in encampments.
A new cooling centre will open at the end of June at Energy Court in Sudbury to offer basic essentials and to be a place of connection for people.
The charity The Go-Give Project will be the service provider for the city and manage day-to-day operations to help vulnerable people.
Cooling centre
A new cooling centre will open at the end of June at Energy Court in Sudbury to offer essentials and to be a place of connection for people.
(Alana Everson/CTV News)
'This will be a place where individuals can come by and cool off get out of the elements for a little while,' said Go-Give executive director Evie Ali.
'Have access to light snacks, beverages, washrooms and hopefully you know just to ease some of the struggles that comes with the summer heat.'
It's the first time the city has funded a cooling centre. It will operate from June to the end of September at a cost of just under $400,000.
Officials said it's responding to the need with more people living outdoors in Greater Sudbury.
'So we are seeing an increase in people experiencing homelessness,' said Gail Spencer, City of Greater Sudbury Manager of Housing Stability and Homelessness.
'Our current number is 317 on our by-name list and 199 people that we know of that are living outdoors in encampments.'
Gail Spencer
Gail Spencer, City of Greater Sudbury Manager of Housing Stability and Homelessness, said homelessness has increased in the city.
(Alana Everson/CTV News)
Mayor Paul Lefebvre said they are trying to keep people safe.
'We help the emergency room out and make sure that they have a place to go during the day sometimes in the really hot summers that we get,' Lefebvre said.
Officials said the cooling centre will also serve as a place of connection for people.
'I think it is really important, you know, that individuals have access to as many services as possible. So you know it's a very open and safe space,' said Ali.
'If they don't have a phone and they are living out in the community in encampments … having the cooling centre is another place where they can connect with people. Other partners could be Indigenous support partners, mental health support partners and addiction support partners,' said Spencer.
The Go Give Project operated a warming centre last winter in the same trailer. The cooling centre will operate from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily until Sept. 30.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Globe and Mail
35 minutes ago
- Globe and Mail
Parts of northern Ontario under air quality statement as smoke from wildfires persists
A stretch of northern Ontario remains under a special air quality statement today amid smoke from wildfires burning in parts of the country. The special statement for southern parts of the province, including the Toronto area, lifted this morning as conditions there improved. Environment Canada says smoke from forest fires can cause reduced air quality and visibility that can fluctuate throughout the day. It says northern parts of the province, including Pikangikum and Sandy Lake First Nations, are under air quality statements or warnings due to the smoke. The weather agency says reduced air quality can cause mild eye, nose and throat irritation. More serious but less common symptoms include chest pains and a severe cough. Environment Canada is advising people to limit their time outdoors and consider postponing sports or other outdoor activities.
CTV News
an hour ago
- CTV News
Colleen Bready's Forecast: Smokiest year on record in Manitoba
Colleen Bready has your current conditions and updated weather forecast for August 5, 2025. Loading the player instance is taking more time than usual Loading the player instance is taking more time than usual It is a sobering statistic, but 2025 is now the smokiest year on record in Winnipeg. Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) says 306 hours of smoke were observed in the city as of early Tuesday morning, eclipsing the longstanding previous record of 304 hours set in 1961. The weather agency considers wildfire season to last from April 1 to October 31 annually and noted how early the record was set this year with the better part of three months left. The third smokiest year on record in Winnipeg was 2021, with 262 hours of smoke observed. That said, smoke will be replaced with showers and potentially more severe weather on Tuesday in southern Manitoba. ECCC issued a severe thunderstorm watch early Tuesday afternoon for the southwest, including Brandon and Dauphin. According to the weather agency, an approaching trough of low pressure is triggering thunderstorms in eastern Saskatchewan and western Manitoba that could become severe this afternoon and evening. Showers are expected to reach Winnipeg and the southeast as early as Tuesday evening. Anywhere from 5 to 15 mm of precipitation is possible tonight, with forecast amounts for Winnipeg at the lower end. Late-night and overnight thunderstorms are also possible. Meanwhile, wildfire smoke continues to plague other regions in the province, with an air quality warning remaining in effect for all of northern Manitoba, eastern areas, and into parts of northwestern Ontario.
CTV News
an hour ago
- CTV News
Conditions cool after B.C. wildfires double in a week with 67,000 lighting strikes
The number of wildfires burning in British Columbia has more than doubled in the past week after a stretch of hot, dry weather and thunderstorms that produced more than 67,000 lightning strikes. There are more than 130 active fires in B.C., up from about 60 a week ago, though the BC Wildfire Service says cooler temperatures, scattered showers and a decrease in thunderstorm activity would help firefighting efforts this week. There is one so-called wildfire of note, the Wesley Ridge blaze discovered last Thursday near Cathedral Grove, a renowned old-growth forest east of Port Alberni. The out-of-control blaze spans just over five square kilometres, with the latest update from the wildfire service saying helicopters equipped with night-vision technology worked overnight to dump water on hot spots. The service says crews made 'good progress' on Monday improving containment lines to protect homes and critical infrastructure along Highway 4. It says there are 164 firefighters assigned to the Wesley Ridge blaze, along with structure protection crews, eight helicopters and other aircraft. About 40 wildfires are classified as burning out of control across B.C., with Environment Canada issuing a series of smoke-related air quality statements for parts of the Cariboo, Okanagan, Fraser Canyon, Prince George and South Thompson regions, along with parts of eastern Vancouver Island. The 14-square-kilometre Cantilever Bar fire continues to burn out of control on the west side of the Fraser River about 10 kilometres south of Lytton. The wildfire service says the blaze is 'highly visible' from Highway 1. An update posted Tuesday says fire activity increased the day before, but smoke was coming from within the fire perimeter and crews did not see any new growth. The blaze has prompted evacuation orders and alerts by the Thompson Nicola Regional District and the Lytton, Skuppah and Siska First Nations. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 5, 2025.
