Officials to educate homeless on fire hazards in tent and tarp encampments in Sudbury
There are serious concerns in Greater Sudbury about fire hazards and risks in the tent and tarp encampments around the city.
The Greater Sudbury Fire Service said fires and open flames are being used as heat sources but stress it’s not safe and poses many risks including carbon monoxide poisoning.
Greater Sudbury Fire Services confirmed it’s had several fire calls to the encampments in the city.
"They are using fires and open flame to stay warm and those tents are not designed to do that," said deputy chief Jesse Oshell.
"There is the potential for carbon monoxide poisoning. There is the potential for that fire to quickly spread to the tent for that material to melt around them if they potentially fall asleep inside the tent with a flame going."
The Homelessness Network said all the agencies working together have helped 30 people find homes in the last two months.
Although housing has been offered to some people living in the encampments, they still choose to live outdoors.
"They are settled into their tents or whatever structures they have built for themselves and they are just not ready for that conversation yet," said Ray Landry of the Homelessness Network.
"We keep connecting with them on a daily basis. By 'we' I mean the whole of the … homelessness serving sector, which is six to seven agencies working together with the city."
The Greater Sudbury Fire Service confirmed in the next few days it’s partnering with agencies that work with people living in the encampments to talk about safe ways to try to keep warm.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
U.S. says Israel's use of U.S. arms likely violated international law, but evidence is incomplete
The Biden administration said Friday that Israel's use of U.S.-provided weapons in Gaza likely violated international humanitarian law but wartime conditions prevented U.S. officials from determining that for certain in specific airstrikes.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
'We have laws': Premier Smith says police action justified in Calgary
The actions, including the decision to use non-lethal force, to disperse pro-Palestinian protesters from the University of Calgary campus were justified, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said Friday.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.