City activating extreme weather response as cold and snow set to arrive Sunday night

Cots are lined up at Al Rashid Mosque emergency shelter in north Edmonton in this undated file photo. (File)

The City of Edmonton will activate its extreme weather response Sunday, with temperatures expected start dropping. 

The measures will activate at noon and are expected to last until March 1, though they may be extended if the weather remains cold.

Temps were expected to drop to -19 C overnight Sunday, with overnight lows hanging in the high teens and low twenties until at least the end of the month. 

Environment Canada issued a snowfall alert for Edmonton and neighbouring municipalities Saturday, as heavy snow is expected to fall Sunday night and into Monday. 

During the response, city facilities like recreation centres and libraries will be open to anyone who needs to warm up during regular hours.

The city will also add a third overnight Winter Shuttle Service bus. Shuttles will run from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. from downtown to the Northgate, Southgate and Stadium Transit Centres.

Support staff will be available on shuttles to help passengers find a shelter or access other services.

The city said the LRT trains and stations are not part of the response and are not suitable shelter spaces, as they are not heated and lack access to washrooms.

Edmontonians who are concerned about someone outside in the cold can help by calling:

• 211 and press 3 for the 24/7 Crisis Diversion team, who can help with people in distress and can take them to social service agencies;
• 911 in cases of emergency.