An extended period of extreme heat kicked off on Monday in southern Ontario, with daytime temperatures reaching as high as 37 C in some places. The hottest day is expected to be Thursday, and people without homes in Windsor are having a hard time coping with the heat.
“There’s nowhere really around here anymore that we can put water on our heads to keep it cool,” Geoffrey Smith said.
Instead, he mentioned he has to go down to the riverfront to fill up water bottles with cold water to help lower his body temperature.
Environment Canada issued an orange-level heat warning on Tuesday for Windsor-Essex, Chatham-Kent, Sarnia-Lambton, and London, which will be active through Friday and possibly into the weekend.
“Hot and humid air can also bring deteriorating air quality and can result in the Air Quality Health Index approaching the high-risk category,” noted the federal weather agency.
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When asked if he visits city-operated splash pads and similar spots, Geoffrey Smith stated that he and his homeless friends often face stigma there and feel unwelcome. He urges the city to set up more hydration stations downtown in Windsor. (Pratyush Dayal/CBC)
Smith explained that this heat has forced him and his friends to constantly move around downtown searching for shade under trees or behind buildings in alleys.
The main source of hydration for him is freezies. Each day, Smith shared that he consumes dozens of flavored freezies.
“It’s the cheapest thing you can get at the convenience store to stay cool,” he said.
His friend, Roland Todd Turner, agrees.
“You still have to get up and walk because you get uncomfortable sitting in one spot,” Turner said while seeking refuge under a tree.
“You just try to find the best shade and.. breeze.”
A heatwave blankets southwestern Ontario
“Our first responder partners are aware of where they could direct individuals. So for officers walking downtown, we ensure they have information so they can assist if they encounter someone,” Goz told .
The city’s 2024 ‘point-in-time count’ identified 672 homeless individuals in Windsor.
Kelly Goz manages homelessness services for the City of Windsor; she mentioned they’re still compiling updated statistics regarding homelessness within Windsor.
She explained that members from Family Services Windsor Essex go out into various areas across town engaging with people living outdoors or those in encampments about available support services including cooling centers within the city.
“I do know that we are continuously making improvements to the system that we are seeing real-time impacts on homelessness as a result of some of that work.”
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A heatwave blankets southwestern Ontario
“Our first responder partners are aware of where they could direct individuals. So for officers walking downtown, we ensure they have information so they can assist if they encounter someone,” Goz told .
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