TORONTO — As much of Ontario faces extreme cold weather, concern is mounting for the well-being of Toronto’s homeless population, which numbers in the thousands. The city has set a target rate of 90 per cent occupancy for homeless shelters. But temporary shelters are not required to meet the same service standards as permanent facilities. “It’s a catastrophe,” said Cathy Crowe, a street nurse who works to provide services for homeless people. There used to be street outreach vans to transport homeless people to shelters, but those systems were dismantled, she said.

Source: National Post December 31, 2017 23:48 UTC