Whether you are spending time outdoors or trying to keep your home warm, here are some practical ways to protect your health this week.
1. The Secret to Layering
It is better to wear three thin layers than one thick one. Layers trap air, which acts as an insulator.
- The Base Layer: Avoid cotton if possible (like denim or cotton t-shirts), as it stays wet if you sweat and makes you colder. Synthetic fabrics or wool are best.
- The Middle Layer: A fleece or sweater to trap heat.
- The Outer Layer: Something windproof and waterproof to keep the moisture out.
2. Protect Your Extremities
You lose a significant amount of body heat through your head, hands, and feet. Ears, fingers, and toes are especially susceptible to frostbite.
- Keep your head covered: A simple knit hat makes a massive difference.
- Keep feet dry: Choose waterproof boots with a wide, low heel. If your socks get wet, change them as soon as possible. Damp feet lead to a rapid drop in body temperature. To keep feet warm without boots, focus on dryness and layering, using wool socks, plastic bags or newspaper as barriers.
- Cover your face: Using a scarf to cover your nose and mouth helps "pre-warm" the air before you breathe it into your lungs. If you don't have a hat, use a t-shirt as a makeshift "ninja" wrap or "balaclava." Pull the neck hole over your face so it rests on your nose, then tie the sleeves behind your head. This covers your ears, neck, and head all at once.
- Stay dry: Change out of wet clothing immediately, whether from snow, rain, or sweat.
3. Fuel Your Internal "Heater"
Your body needs calories to produce heat.
- Eat warm, nutrient-dense foods: Hot soups, stews, porridge, and whole grains provide the energy your body needs to stay warm. Along with herbal teas, or broth help maintain core body temperature. Even warm tap water is better than cold drinks.
- Stay hydrated: It is easy to forget to drink water in the winter, but dehydration makes you more susceptible to the cold.
- Avoid caffeine and alcohol: While they might make you feel "flush" for a moment, they actually cause your body to lose heat faster.
4. Preparing Your Home
Modifications to the Space- Block drafts immediately: Heavy towels, blankets, or rolled clothing along the bottom of doors stops cold air from "leaking" across the floor. Clear plastic sheeting or even shower curtain liners taped tightly around window frames can raise room temperature several degrees. If tape won’t stick, use thumbtacks or painter’s tape. Aluminum foil (dull side out) behind radiators to reflect heat back into the room.
- Close what you don’t use: Shut doors to unused rooms and hang thick blankets or curtains in doorways if doors don’t close properly. This concentrates the heat in the rooms you are actually using rather than wasting energy heating empty space.
- Manage Your Curtains: Keep curtains wide open during sunny hours to let the sun naturally heat the room. Close them as soon as the sun goes down to add a thermal barrier between the cold glass and your living space.
- Leave the Oven Open: After you finish baking or roasting food, leave the oven door ajar as it cools down. This releases the residual heat into the kitchen rather than letting it go to waste.
- Humidity Helps: If you have a bathroom fan, leave it off while showering and keep the door open afterwards. The warm, moist air helps the apartment feel "cozier" than dry, cold air.
Heat the Body First (Cheaper Than Heating the Room)
When heat is inadequate, warming the person matters more than warming the space.
- Clothing indoors: Wear tight-fitting thermal tops or leggings under your regular clothes. Keeping the fabric close to your skin prevents body heat from escaping. Wearing a hat or head covering indoors can significantly reduce heat loss. A fleece or quilted vest keeps your core warm while leaving your arms free for daily tasks, which is often more comfortable for indoor productivity than a bulky coat. Avoid cotton next to skin if possible as synthetics or wool retain heat better.
- Sleep and bedding: Place your heaviest, densest blanket (like a wool or weighted blanket) on top of your fluffier ones. The fluffy blankets trap the air, and the heavy one keeps that air from escaping. Hot water bottles (or tightly sealed bottles filled with hot tap water), heated rice or bean socks (microwaved if power is available), placed under the covers 15 minutes before you go to sleep. This warms the sheets so your body doesn't have to work as hard to get comfortable.
- Safe, Low-Cost Heat Sources: Electric space heaters only if in good condition, plugged directly into wall outlets (not power bars). Keep heaters away from bedding and turn off when sleeping. If power is limited, prioritize warming people, not rooms. Never use ovens, stoves, BBQs, or candles for heating as fire and carbon monoxide risk is extremely high.
- Stay Active: Even five minutes of light movement (like stretching or walking in place) increases blood flow and raises your core temperature.
5. Watch for Warning Signs
If you suspect frostbite or hypothermia, seek medical attention immediately.
- Frostnip: Early warning signs include red or pale skin, tingling, numbness, or stinging.
- Treat by gently rewarming; do not rub or massage.
- Frostbite: Skin becomes white or grayish-yellow, waxy, numb, or very firm.
- Seek immediate medical attention.
- Hypothermia: Symptoms include shivering, confusion, exhaustion, slurred speech, or loss of coordination.
- Call emergency services and keep the person warm and dry while waiting for help.
6. If You’re Outdoors
- Take regular breaks in warm indoor spaces such as libraries or malls.
- Avoid alcohol as it can make you feel warm while actually increasing heat loss.
- Wear bright-coloured clothing so you are visible in snowy conditions.
- Let someone know where you are going and when you expect to return.
- When shovelling snow, wear lightweight layers and pace yourself.
- Follow medical advice if you have a history of heart or back problems.
7. How to Help a Neighbour in Need
During extreme cold alerts, our under-housed neighbours are at the highest risk, as are seniors, people with heart or respiratory conditions, and those without reliable heat or electricity. If you see someone who may be struggling with the cold, here is how you can help safely and effectively:
- Offer Warmth Directly: If you are able, offering a hot herbal tea, a pair of dry wool socks, or a chemical hand-warmer can be a literal lifesaver.
- Know the "Emergency" Signs: If you see someone who is shivering violently, appears confused, or is unconscious, call emergency services immediately. Hypothermia can become life-threatening very quickly.
- Share Information: Many people may not know where the nearest warming centres are. Keep a list of local shelters or community centres on your phone to share with those who need a place to go.
- Check on the Isolated: If you have elderly neighbours or those living alone, a quick knock on the door or a phone call to ensure their heating is working can provide immense peace of mind.
- Keep Spare Winter Gear in Your Car: If you have extra clean blankets, hats, or gloves, keep them in your vehicle to give away to someone you see waiting at a bus stop or sitting outside.
8. Helpful Resource Links (Local to Toronto)
City of Toronto Warming Centres: During extreme cold (–5°C or winter weather warnings), the City opens pet-friendly Warming Centres offering rest space, meals, washrooms, and shelter referrals. Walk-ins welcome—no intake required. Centres open at 5 p.m., operate 24/7 while activated, and transportation to alternate spaces is provided if a site is full.
- If you need emergency shelter, call 311 or Central Intake at 416-338-4766 for assistance. For street outreach services, call 311.
- Learn more about the range of services the City of Toronto offers for people experiencing homelessness by clicking the link below:
211 Toronto: This 24/7 confidential helpline connects residents to essential supports like emergency shelters, warming centres, food and clothing banks. In addition to phone support, you can access their services via online chat or by texting your postal code to 2-1-1-6-6 to speak with a specialist.
- Phone: Dial 2-1-1 (or 416-397-4636)
- Website: 211central.ca (Live chat available Mon–Fri, 7 AM–9 PM)
Toronto 311 (Bylaw Enforcement): If your landlord fails to provide heat (minimum 21°C from October 1 to May 15) or address vital service issues like water, electricity, or major repairs, you can file a formal complaint to trigger a City inspection. Beyond heating, 311 handles reports for property standards violations such as pest infestations, plumbing failures, and lack of hot water.
- Phone: Dial 3-1-1 (or 416-392-2489 from outside city limits)
- Website: toronto.ca/311 (You can also use the 311 Toronto mobile app)
Legal Aid Ontario (Community Legal Clinics): Provides low-income tenants with access to free legal advice and representation through a network of community legal clinics. These clinics specialize in housing law and can help renters resolve issues with negligent landlords, such as lack of heat, vital service shut-offs, or failed repairs. These clinics operate within specific geographic catchment areas; you can find the exact clinic serving your neighbourhood by entering your postal code into the "Find a Legal Clinic" tool on the Legal Aid Ontario website.
- Phone: 416-979-1446 (Toronto) or 1-800-668-8258
- Website: legalaid.on.ca/legal-clinics
Help With Utility Bills (Toronto & Ontario): Low-income households may qualify for emergency grants if they are behind on hydro or gas bills, monthly credits that lower electricity costs, and City rebates on water charges. There are also programs that offer free or rebated home upgrades (such as insulation, draft-proofing, efficient lighting, and appliances) to reduce heating costs long-term. Eligibility is based on household income and size. Visit the program links or call the listed numbers to check eligibility and apply.
- LEAP (Low-Income Energy Assistance Program): One-time emergency grant to help pay overdue electricity or natural gas bills for households facing disconnection. To apply for emergency help with bills, contact your local utility's designated intake agency or call the United Way Simcoe Muskoka (UWSM) at 1-855-487-5327 or visit the Ontario Energy Board's website for more information.
- Emergency Energy Fund (EEF): City
of Toronto support for low-income residents to cover energy
emergencies, arrears, or reconnection costs. To apply for the EEF you
must
call the Neighbourhood Information Post (NIP) at 416-397-7368 (or 647-727-8988) during business hours (9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Mon-Fri). If you're on Ontario Works (OW) or ODSP, speak with your caseworker instead, as they can guide you to other relevant support, like the Housing Stabilization Fund. - Ontario Electricity Support Program (OESP): Monthly credit applied directly to electricity bills to reduce ongoing costs for eligible low-income households. Contact the OESP Contact Centre at 1-855-831-8151 or visit ontarioelectricitysupport.ca
- Property Tax & Utility Relief (Toronto): Rebate on the water portion of utility bills for low-income seniors and persons with disabilities. Visit website for more information.
- Energy Affordability Program (EAP): Free energy-saving home upgrades, such as LED lighting, efficient showerheads, and sometimes insulation or appliances. Visit the EAP website for more information.
- Enbridge Home Winterproofing Program: Free professional insulation and draft-proofing for eligible households that heat with natural gas. Visit Enbridge's website for more information.