Toronto’s medical officer of health has issued an extreme cold weather alert as the temperature is expected to reach -18 C with the windchill on Thursday.
The advisory is issued when the temperature is forecast to reach -15 C or colder, or with a wind chill of -20 C or colder.
The conditions are expected to remain frigid Thursday evening with a low of -15 C and -24 C with the windchill overnight.
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The alert triggers cold weather services for homeless people, including TTC tokens for people to get to shelter, increased street outreach, and a direction to shelters to relax any service restrictions in place.
A warming centre is open at Metro Hall by 7 p.m. the day an alert is called, and remains open continuously until noon on the day an alert is terminated.
The public is encouraged to check on vulnerable friends, neighbours and family to ensure they are safe as the weather conditions change.