Sudbury’s homeless say they have few safe options to warm up

A 70-year-old woman in Greater Sudbury shares her story and struggle with homelessness in cold weather with CTV News.

70-year-old Deborah Craig told CTV News that she has been homeless for two months -- living with her cat name Piglet in her jeep in the cold. (Alana Everson/CTV News Northern Ontario)Deborah Craig says she has been homeless for two months, after being evicted from her apartment. She now lives in her jeep with her cat Piglet.

Craig said being homeless it is extremely difficult to deal with colder temperatures.

While Craig has some shelter from the elements in her jeep it is still cold and unfortunately, city officials say it is a reality that more than 100 people in Sudbury are facing this winter.

The 70-year-old said she is living with multiple sclerosis or MS.

“Terrible hurt… pain. I feel so much pain,” she said.

“I can’t live like this.”

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Craig said she warms up at the drop-in program at the Samaritan Centre in the afternoon but would like to see more places for the homeless to warm up both day and night.

Right now in Sudbury, overnight warming centres are only opened when temperatures drop below -15°C – or -20°C with the wind chill – overnight or during extreme winter warnings.

“They don’t have places all day to keep warm,” said Craig.

“Nowhere and it’s hard with my cat.”

Officials at the Homelessness Network said with more than 100 people in the city living outside the area needs more warming spaces. With all city shelters regularly running at capacity and only 55 additional spaces available during cold alerts there is just not enough room to keep everyone warm.

“The most pressing need right now is more housing of course that is a longer-term play,” said Ray Landry, a co-ordinator with the Homelessness Network.

“We hope to see more warming spaces or shelter spaces created in the immediate for the winter and we know that the city is negotiating with some community partners at trying to achieve that soon.”

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Piglet the cat is living with its owner 70-year-old Deborah Craig in her jeep. (Alana Everson/CTV News Northern Ontario)For now, Craig and Piglet will continue to call her jeep home adding that she has been looking for a place to live but there is nothing available or in her budget.

Craig said she would welcome any new spaces to get warm.