City of Edmonton to activate extreme weather response on Family Day

*UPDATE: The city said it will lift its extreme weather response at 6 a.m. on March 1.

The City of Edmonton will activate its extreme weather response on Family Day as temperatures are set to start to dip.

The response is triggered when the wind chill makes temperatures feel like -20 for at least three consecutive nights and will be in effect from Feb. 20 to 26.

The extreme weather response involves transit, warming buses and day services.

The city will provide overnight transportation to shelters on ETS buses from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., and will also direct drivers to stop at all bus stops, including express routes, when the weather feels like -20 or colder.

Boyle Street Community Services (BSCS) operates a warming bus which provides food, winter clothing, blankets and transportation to warming centres and shelters.

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All Edmonton Public Library locations and rec centres will be open to the public for warming during regular hours.

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LRT centres will not be opened as warming centres as they lack heat and adequate washroom facilities, according to the city.

The Bissell Centre and BSCS will continue to operate day services.

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The city said the response will be extended if weather conditions stay very cold beyond Feb. 26.

– With files from Emily Mertz, Global News