Windsor prepares to help residents stay safe during coming storm

With a significant winter storm set to hit southwestern Ontario ahead of the holiday weekend, the City of Windsor is working to ensure residents stay safe on the roads.

"We have fully prepared for the situation," said Phong Nguy, manager of operations for Public Works. "We are also going to stay on top of it and we're going to monitor the situation."

According to a special weather statement from Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), plummeting temperatures on Friday will precede a potential flash freeze for locations that receive rainfall on Thursday.

"Rapidly falling temperatures will be accompanied by strong to potentially damaging winds along with snow that may be heavy at times," the statement continued. "Blizzard conditions are possible late Friday into the weekend for areas downwind of Lake Huron and Georgian Bay.

"A multi-day lake effect snow event is expected into the weekend in the wake of the system for locations east of the Great Lakes."

ECCC said the nature of the storm is changing, and Nguy said that makes implementing safety measures harder.

"Timing is definitely critical," he said. "We are going to plan to stay on top of this and make sure that we're going to protect the motorway and make sure it's safe for pedestrians and motorists."

The city's social services departments are also taking safety steps. 

"A group of city departments are meeting tomorrow [Thursday] to talk about if we need to implement any additional plans," said Jennifer Tanner, manager of homelessness and housing support with the City of Windsor. "But on the homelessness side of things, we're pretty confident that the existing services are there and we'll be able to help people out."

Tanner also said an overnight warming centre located at 875 Ouellette Ave. can fit about 30 people.

Support institutions that help less fortunate Windsor residents are also making plans to ensure everyone stays safe.

Along with feeding Windsor residents, Street Help will try to keep people as warm as possible. However, they have had to alter their plans.

"We have to serve all our food through our takeout window," said Christine Wilson-Furlonger, administrator of Street Help. "We've been ordered by the City of Windsor to move our shipping containers that have all our storage."

Wilson-Furlonger said the city told Street Help that the containers were technically located in a residential parking lot. Because Wilson-Furlonger said Street Help cannot afford to buy commercial space, they have to move the contents of the containers indoors. This has taken up space where Street Help usually lets people in to keep them warm.

"We will not be able to let people come in and eat or get relief from the cold weather," said Wilson-Furlonger. "We will not be able to let people lay their head down on their floor like we've done for quite a long time."

At the Downtown Mission, a dozen more overnight beds were added recently, bringing their total to 96. There is still space for some residents to grab a bed.

"As of this week, we still have about 10, 15 beds available since we added those extra beds," said Rukshini Ponniah-Goulin, executive director of the Downtown Mission. "Once the beds are filled, we would then open up our warming centre for the people to at least sit down in the warmth."