People in tents struggle to stay warm amid cold temperatures in Nova Scotia

People experiencing homelessness are facing bitter cold across the Maritimes this week.

Bright orange tarps are draped over tents at an encampment on Green Road in Dartmouth, N.S., to seal in some warmth amid the cold Arctic air mass in the Maritimes.

P.J. McKay lives in her RV at the encampment. While her propane tank helps keep it warm enough, her tents with her belongings have frost on the inside.

“A gentleman (living in a tent) told me even though he’s living in it and got [the] heat on, he’s got frost on the wall of his tent,” said McKay.

McKay said some people living in tents are concerned that if they leave to look for shelter, their belongings would be stolen.

“While you’re in the shelter staying warm, somebody else could be into your home, taking everything you own,” McKay said.

Since Tuesday night, the search and rescue team and Halifax’s street navigator went to each person living outside and warned them about the weather.

“The were offered some transportation options. They also offer folks an extra blanket if they needed as well as, if somebody had other requests the ground search and rescue folks would take that to us and we would look at if it is something we could help with,” said Max Chauvin, Halifax Regional Municipality’s director of Housing and Homelessness.

According to Suzanne Ley, Nova Scotia’s director of homelessness, there are18 shelters open across the province, three of which are temporary.

“There’s about 95 beds available for folks to be able to come inside, which is a significant addition of resources,” Ley said.

The municipality plans to continue having the street navigator and search and rescue team speak with people living outside in the current weather conditions.

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