With a cold snap coming to P.E.I., crews and community groups working to keep people safe

Islanders are bracing for very cold temperatures after waking up to a snowfall on Monday that closed schools across the province.

Crews in Charlottetown and Summerside hit the roads early in the morning and are expected to continue working overnight to clear and de-ice them, municipal officials said. 

De-icing materials are only effective above a certain temperature, around -12 C, said Paul Johnston, acting manager of Charlottetown's public works.

P.E.I. could see the temperature dip below that over the next few nights.

"[Crews are] going to try and get that material on, get it working as best as they can to try and clear the sidewalks off before we might get into a deep freeze and create some ice on that," said Johnston.  

An overnight parking ban is in effect for both Charlottetown and Summerside as the municipalities' crews continue to clear the roads. 

'Desperate need' for warming centres

While icy roads and sidewalks are a safety concern, the cold itself has some worried. Spaces are limited in shelters, and some are already full. 

Blooming House in Charlottetown and the low-barrier men's shelter in Summerside are both at capacity. 

That means some people won't have anywhere to go to escape the winter conditions, said Elysha Whitlock, the founder and executive director of the non-profit organization The Village.

"Come tomorrow, there will still be people outside freezing," she said. 

Whitlock said there's a "desperate need" for warming centres, particularly since many shelters are open overnight but closed during the day. 

"We need a warming centre in place not only for those who are accessing shelter services, but for the many who aren't," she said. 

Filling the gaps

In Charlottetown, the Salvation Army is preparing for the needs of the community, said John Burton, a corps officer at the organization. 

"In these cold temperatures, not everybody has a place to go, especially during the day." 

The Charlottetown Community Church will be open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. over the next few days as a warming and drop-in centre, Burton said. 

Soup and sandwiches will be available for anyone who needs to go there.

"We need to help people," Burton said. "We want to open our hearts and our facilities here so that people have a warm place to go and so that they can be comfortable just through these few days that it's going to be cold."