As of 9 a.m., all but one of the 12 remaining tents in the public square known as Grand Parade had no heat source as the temperature hovered around −11 C and a westerly wind made it feel like −19 C. 

Steven Wilsack, a volunteer who for the past three months has been helping residents of the encampment, says he and other volunteers asked government officials to leave the power on during the cold snap, but their request was denied.

On Feb. 7, the municipality asked unhoused people staying in tents at the Grand Parade and four other authorized encampments to leave by this past Monday, and the city followed up Wednesday by announcing that generators would be removed later in the week. 

City officials have said the encampments are a safety risk, and they say better housing options are available, including at the 70−bed Halifax Forum shelter in the north end of the city.

Some unhoused residents, however, say the Forum is worse than the tents at Grand Parade because there’s a lack of privacy and security.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 1, 2024.

The Canadian Press