Baby, it’s cold outside

St. Boniface – St. Vital

Winter in Winnipeg isn’t news – it’s a season we know by heart. We bundle up, watch the forecast, and plan our days around temperatures of -20 and -30 C. For most of us, cold is an inconvenience. For some, it’s an emergency.

This winter has reminded us of what community really means. This month, thousands of Pimicikamak Cree Nation residents were forced to evacuate after a days long power outage during extreme cold severely damaged homes and essential infrastructure. Federal emergency officials approved assistance and a specialized Canadian Armed Forces team deployed to support civilian assessments and repairs.

When neighbours are hurting, Winnipeggers show up. The Canadian Red Cross launched a crisis appeal to help Pimicikamak families with lodging, food, transportation, and on the ground support – alongside shipments of more than 500 generators and 600 heaters to those sheltering in place. If you’re able, consider donating through groups such as the Canadian Red Cross or Linking Hope. Warm clothing, hygiene products, diapers and formula are all hugely appreciated.

Closer to home, we know winter is hardest for people without a home at all. In St. Boniface – St. Vital, front line organizations meet that reality with care and persistence. St. Boniface Street Links works every day to connect people to housing, recovery, and practical supports – and next month our community can walk alongside them, literally. The Coldest Night of the Year, a family friendly two- or five-kilometre fundraiser takes place on Saturday, Feb. 28. Bundle up, bring a friend, and help keep the work going.

Generosity here isn’t a headline; it’s a habit. Groups such as Linking Hope quietly knit the city together by moving surplus goods – warm clothing, hygiene items, household essentials – from those who have them to agencies that can get them to people who need them right now. If you’re cleaning a closet, running a business with excess inventory, or simply wondering how to help, this is one practical way to turn goodwill into warmth.

The through line in all of this is simple – when our community is in need, we act. We keep the doors open at the shelter. We load cases of water onto a truck. We donate. We walk. We check on a neighbour whose front path hasn’t been shovelled. And in doing so, we remind each other that home isn’t always a physical structure. It’s a feeling of belonging, of safety, and the comfort of being seen.

Winter will always test us. But here in Winnipeg – and especially across St. Boniface – St. Vital – we will keep showing up for each other, no matter how cold. That’s who we are. That’s community.