Toronto to open emergency shelters, give out more than 300,000 N95 masks to homeless
FILE- People gather outside of a shelter in downtown Toronto on Saturday, March 28, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Colin Perkel
The City of Toronto says it will open two emergency shelters and supply more than 300,000 N95 masks to the homeless as COVID-19 rips through the shelter system.
The city says it will use two community centres for emergency shelter space to help those on the streets get out from the cold.
It says 310,000 N95 masks will be sufficient to give everyone living in shelters masks for at least the next two weeks.
City data show there are 345 homeless people with COVID-19 and 46 shelters with outbreaks as of Jan. 12.
The homeless and their advocates have criticized the city's winter plan since the fall.
They have also been asking for N95 masks since the Omicron variant began making its way inside Toronto's shelters last month.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 13, 2022.
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