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People sleeping on mats in shelters as cold snap threatens homeless

An intense deep freeze has filled emergency shelters to overflowing, as many of New Brunswick's homeless seek refuge from the streets both day and night.

"We don't want to turn anyone away when it's cold," said Cal Maskery, executive director of Harvest House in Moncton.

The shelter is over capacity, and two people are sleeping on mats on the floor.

There are 24 beds for men and eight for women, and all have been full for months.

But because of the frigid temperatures, Maskery said, the emergency shelter has begun offering 24-hours-a-day service, seven days a week.

Harvest House will be open full time until March.

"It's just too cold with people out," Maskery said.

Dozens of volunteers have also been feeding people and helping them warm up.

"It takes two to three times more people to keep it going," Maskery said of the shelter in winter. "There's a real crisis of housing going on here in Moncton."

If it weren't for Harvest House, Dale Kelly and Kevin Phinney said they'd have no place to stay.

"I might be homeless, but right now I feel the love," said Phinney.

Both men said they are grateful for the shelter Harvest House provides, particularly in winter.

"It's a warm atmosphere, warm people," said Kelly.

Warren Maddox, executive director of Fredericton Homeless Shelters, said the shelters are full and some people have been turned away.

"In those cases, we'll try to find alternative accommodations for them until, potentially, a bed opens up out here," said Maddox, adding the organization doles out warm wearables to all.

Twenty-four-year-old Jonah Woodcock said he was fortunate to get a bed.

"I don't really want to be outside in this weather, but a lot of the time you have things to do, so you have to go places," he told CBC News. "I'm just glad I have this shelter to have a place to sleep when it's cold out."

Frozen pipes

Scott Grasman, assistant manager of Fredericton's water and sewer division, said it has responded to about six calls over the holidays. Each call turned out to be a problem with frozen water inside the home or business, he said.

"Heat needs to be on where the water is coming in," he said.

The city responds if a service line is frozen, and Grasman said that happens more often when there is no snow for insulation and the temperatures drop.

Brrr, it's cold out

In a special statement early Wednesday, Environment Canada said a cold Arctic air mass is expected to hover over New Brunswick throughout the day and into Thursday.

Cold temperatures combined with moderate to strong westerly winds will give wind-chill values of between –30 C and –35 C.

"The day will remain frigid with not much relief from either the cold air or gusty winds through the afternoon," said CBC meteorologist Kalin Mitchell.

"Winds will ease slightly Wednesday night but remain blustery."

Cold temperatures are expected to continue until the weekend, when a storm is expected to hit parts of the Maritimes.

The cold made for an uncomfortable arrival in New Brunswick for airport passenger Meghan Hashemi, who was wishing she'd stayed a little longer in Florida.

"I couldn't believe how cold it was," Hashemi, who had been in the Sunshine State for five weeks, said at the Fredericton airport. "It was like 29 degrees down there every day."

New Brunswick forecast

Northern New Brunswick

Today: Mostly sunny, with increasing cloudiness in the afternoon. Westerly winds gusting from 20 to 40 km/h.

Tonight: Cloudy with flurries and up 1 to 3 cm of snow. Westerly winds gusting from 20 to 40 km/h. At night, temperatures will be dropping to –22 C to –18 C, feeling near –30 with the wind chill.

Thursday: A mix of sun and cloud with scattered flurries and 1 to 3 cm of snow. Northwesterly winds at 20 gusting to 40 km/h. Temperatures will be hovering around –15 C to –11 C feeling near –20 C with the wind chill.

Fredericton and area

Today: Sunny and cold with westerly winds gusting at 30 to 50 km/h. Temperatures will be sitting at a –14 C feeling near –24 with the wind chill.

Tonight: Clear in the evening with increasing cloudiness after midnight. Westerly winds gusting to 20 to 40 km/h. Temperatures are expected to drop to –21 C, but it will feel like –32 C with the windchill.

Thursday: A mix of sun and cloud with flurries. Westerly winds travelling at 20 lm/h gusting to 40 km/h. Temperatures will be at a high near –14 C feeling near –22 C with the wind chill.

Southern New Brunswick

Today: Mainly sunny and cold with westerly winds at 30 to 50 km/h. Temperatures will reach highs of –15 C to –13 C, feeling near –24 C with the wind chill.

Tonight: Mainly clear and cold with westerly winds of 20 to 40 km/h. Temperatures will be dropping to –21 C, which will feel near –32 C with the wind chill.

Thursday: A mix of sun and cloud with flurries, with northwesterly winds of 20 to 40 km/h. Temperatures will be around –14 C, which will feel like –22 C with the wind chill.