As Kingston temperatures dropped below -20 C, the City announced it would open an overnight warming centre, but with a referral-based access model that quickly drew backlash online.
In an Instagram post, the City said the warming centre would operate from 9 p.m. to 8:30 a.m. over the weekend, with individuals referred by local shelters, outreach teams, and community partners. The post prompted dozens of comments from residents worried the referral requirement could create barriers for people already facing crisis conditions outdoors.
The City’s statement to The Journal said referrals are meant to coordinate access across the broader shelter system.
“Referrals ensure that access is coordinated with community partners to maximize shelter capacity across the system as some people may prefer to move to a shelter bed and we want to support this wherever possible,” the statement read.
“The warming centre will also support walk-ups and will facilitate shelter referrals where appropriate.”
The warming centre is part of Kingston’s Winter Services Response Plan 2025-2026, according to the City. The site, located at Artillery Park Aquatics Centre, provides chairs, clean blankets, warm drinks, snacks, and washroom access. The statement said the centre didn’t reach its maximum overnight occupancy, which wasn’t clarified what it was, on its first two nights of operation and “no one was turned away.”
Still, some residents say any extra step can be dangerous in extreme cold.
Emily Elizabeth, a Kingston resident who commented on the City’s post, told The Journal in an interview, that the referral requirement risks creating a delay for people already struggling to meet basic needs.
“Many spaces [shelters] are already full, out of the way of people’s social sphere, or require total sobriety to access them,” she said.
Elizabeth added she worries the process may be unrealistic for people facing addiction, trauma, or mental illness. She also pointed to winter hazards beyond temperature, including snow removal.
She said someone sleeping outside “couldn’t only freeze to death but also be smothered by snow being moved by a snow blower or plough.”
Lawrence Bolton, another resident who commented on the post, questioned both the timing and the structure of the response.
“I also think it’s ridiculous to ask people who are already freezing on the streets to take extra steps to not freeze on the streets,” he told The Journal. He added that if shelters are closed or full overnight, people may have no way to get a referral in time.
The overnight warming centre is scheduled to continue operating nightly through the morning of Feb. 2 as cold conditions persist.
Tags
Artillery Park Aquatics Centre, City of Kingston, Kingston’s Winter Services Response Plan 2025-2026, Warming Centre
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