Toronto extended its extreme cold weather alert on Wednesday as temperatures dipped to -13 C, but felt more like -25 C with the wind chill. Any exposed skin could freeze within minutes.
Eastern and southern Ontario is also gripped by the frigid temperatures, which are expected to continue until Thursday.
Toronto's weather alert triggers the city to open an additional 70 emergency spaces at local hostels and shelters for the homeless. There will also be more van patrols on the streets tonight, looking to help homeless people looking for a way out of the cold.
While the mercury is expected to remain at the -12 C mark on Thursday, temperatures are going to warm up in a few days.
Environment Canada is calling for a forecast of 13 C early next week. The normal temperature at this time of year is -1 C.
Police warn against idling
The cold weather may lead some motorists to run their car while they are not inside their vehicle, a move police say creates an easy opportunity for thieves.
"Today is the day where you have many thieves who will actually go out and look for these vehicles," said Toronto police Sgt. Andrew Raney.
"These vehicles are not too hard to find, you just have to go to any corner store, gas station, coffee shop, and there will be plenty of vehicles doing this."
Raney says locking your car doors is not a good enough preventable measure beause thieves can easily break the windows.
One resident who left her car idling in her driveway for 10 minutes on Wednesday morning said she left her doors unlocked, but was not worried.
"My area's good," the woman told CTV Toronto.
Police, however, say thieves target all neighbourhoods, even those with traditionally low crime rates.
With a report from CTV Toronto's Matet Nebres
