People sleeping on mats in shelters as cold snap threatens homeless

An intense deep freeze has filled emergency shelters to overflowing, as many of New Brunswick's homeless seek refuge from the streets both day and night.

"We don't want to turn anyone away when it's cold," said Cal Maskery, executive director of Harvest Housein Moncton.

The shelter is over capacity, and two people are sleeping on mats on the floor.

• Chilly temperatures coming to New Brunswick overnight

There are 24 beds for men and eight for women, and all have been full for months.

I might be homeless, but right now I feel the love.-KevinPhinney, user of the homeless shelter

But because of the frigid temperatures, Maskery said, the emergency shelter has begun offering 24-hours-a-day service, seven days a week.

Harvest House will beopen full time until March.

"It's just too cold with people out," Maskery said.

Dozens of volunteers have also been feeding people and helping them warm up.

'There is a real crisis of housing going on here in Moncton'

7 years ago

Duration 1:04

New Brunswick continues to face intense wintry temperatures, forcing many of the province's homeless toward emergency shelters.

"It takes two to three times more people to keep itgoing," Maskery said of the shelter in winter. "There's a real crisis of housing going on here in Moncton."

If it weren't for Harvest House,Dale Kelly and Kevin Phinneysaid they'd have no place to stay.

"I might be homeless, but right now I feel the love," saidPhinney.

Both men said they are grateful for the shelter Harvest Houseprovides, particularly in winter.

"It's a warm atmosphere, warm people," said Kelly.

Warren Maddox, executive director of Fredericton Homeless Shelters, said the shelters are full and some people have been turned away.

"In those cases, we'll try to find alternative accommodations for them until, potentially, a bed opens up out here," said Maddox, adding the organization doles out warm wearables to all.

Twenty-four-year-old Jonah Woodcock said he was fortunate to get a bed.

"I don't really want to be outside in this weather, but a lot of the time you have things to do, so you have to go places," he told CBCNews."I'm just glad I have this shelter to have a place to sleep when it's cold out."

Frozen pipes

Scott Grasman, assistant managerof Fredericton's water and sewer division, saidit hasresponded to about sixcalls over the holidays.Each callturned out to be a problem with frozen water inside the home or business, he said.

"Heat needs to be onwhere the water is coming in," he said.

The city responds if a service line is frozen, andGrasman saidthat happens more often when there is no snow for insulationand the temperatures drop.

Brrr, it's cold out

In a special statement early Wednesday, Environment Canada said a cold Arctic air massis expected to hoverover New Brunswick throughout the day and into Thursday.

Cold temperatures combined with moderate to strong westerly winds will give wind-chill values of between30 C and35 C.

"The day will remain frigid with not much relief from either the cold air or gusty winds through the afternoon," said CBCmeteorologist Kalin Mitchell.

"Winds will ease slightly Wednesday night but remain blustery."

Cold temperatures are expected to continue until the weekend, when a storm is expected to hit parts of the Maritimes.

The cold made for an uncomfortable arrivalin New Brunswick forairport passenger Meghan Hashemi, whowas wishingshe'd stayed a little longer in Florida.

"I couldn't believe how cold it was," Hashemi, who had been in the Sunshine State forfive weeks, said at the Fredericton airport."It was like 29 degrees down there every day."

New Brunswick forecast

Northern New Brunswick

Today: Mostly sunny, with increasing cloudiness in the afternoon. Westerly winds gusting from 20 to 40 km/h.

Tonight: Cloudy with flurries and up 1 to 3 cm of snow. Westerly winds gusting from 20 to 40 km/h. At night, temperatures will be dropping to 22 C to 18 C, feeling near 30 with the wind chill.

Thursday: A mix of sun and cloud with scattered flurries and 1 to 3 cm of snow. Northwesterly winds at 20 gusting to 40 km/h. Temperatures will be hovering around 15 C to 11 C feeling near 20 C with the wind chill.

Fredericton and area

Today:Sunny and cold with westerly winds gusting at 30to 50 km/h. Temperatures will be sitting at a 14 C feeling near 24 with the wind chill.

Tonight: Clear in the evening with increasing cloudiness after midnight. Westerly winds gusting to 20 to 40 km/h. Temperatures are expected to drop to 21 C, but it will feel like32 C with the windchill.

Thursday: A mix of sun and cloud with flurries. Westerly winds travelling at 20 lm/h gusting to 40 km/h. Temperatures will be at a high near 14 C feeling near 22 C with the wind chill.

Southern New Brunswick

Today: Mainly sunny and cold with westerly winds at 30 to 50 km/h. Temperatures will reach highs of 15 C to 13 C, feeling near 24 C with the wind chill.

Tonight: Mainly clear and cold with westerly winds of 20 to 40 km/h. Temperatures will be dropping to 21 C, which will feel near 32 C with the wind chill.

Thursday: A mix of sun and cloud with flurries, with northwesterly winds of 20 to 40 km/h. Temperatures will be around 14 C, which will feel like22 C with the wind chill.