The City of Edmonton is proud to be a WinterCity.
They encourage Edmontonians to dress appropriately for the cold weather, continue to look out for one another, connect with the community for support and celebrate the best of being the most northern major city in Canada.
With extreme cold weather continuing until the weekend, the City would like to remind residents of the services and resources that can help everyone stay safe until the weather warms up.
How to help vulnerable Edmontonians
To help keep vulnerable Edmontonians safe during the cold, the City has activated its extreme weather response. The response includes extreme weather bus routes (see below), expanded overnight shelter and day services. More information is available at edmonton.ca/extremeweather.
Actions Edmontonians can take to help vulnerable individuals include:
- Learn to recognize the signs of hypothermia: uncontrollable shivering, drowsiness or exhaustion, confusion, fumbling hands, memory loss, or slurred speech; a person with severe hypothermia may be unconscious and may not seem to have a pulse or to be breathing.
- Call 911 for someone in serious distress or in cases of emergency.
- Call 211, press 3 for 24/7 Crisis Diversion non-emergency support for shelter, intoxication and mental health.
- Our quick reference tool has steps you can take to help someone during the winter months.
- Agencies serving people experiencing homelessness are accepting monetary donations, as well as donations of warm clothing and winter gear. For a list of places to donate, please see: https://homewardtrust.ca/
sector-emergency-response/.
Safeguard pets from frostbite
While some pets can’t get enough of the snow, others would rather avoid it. Either way, be aware of your pet’s tolerance for cold weather and adjust accordingly. During extreme cold snaps, consider keeping pets indoors or shortening walks. While they’re outside, look for signs such as:
- Lifting their feet high off the ground or licking their feet
- Slowing down or stopping often
- Whining
- Appearing anxious
- Shivering
- Shaking
- Tucking feet under their body
- Curling up in a tight ball with their tail over them
Pets are vulnerable to frostbite, particularly the ears, paws, nose and tip of the tail. Frostbite is sometimes hard to detect. Frostbitten areas initially turn a reddish colour then gray or bluish. If you suspect your pet has frostbite, take them to their veterinarian for further care. Also, you can contact 311 if you see an animal in distress due to these cold temperatures.
For more information about protecting your pets in cold weather or how to report an animal in distress, visit edmonton.ca/petsafety.
Frozen Water Pipes
- Never try to thaw frozen pipes with a blowtorch or other open flame as the pipe could conduct the heat and ignite the wall structure.
- Use hot water or a UL-labeled device such as a hand-held dryer for thawing.
- If a water pipe bursts, EPCOR’s Emergency Line can be reached at 780-412-4500.
- If flooding or an emergency occurs, please call 911 for help.
