The Executive Director of End Homelessness St. John’s says a coordinated emergency preparedness plan is needed to address the needs of people who may not have shelter when the weather takes a turn.

Doug Pawson says typically it’s the province that has jurisdiction over emergency shelter.

He notes that the City of St. John’s does have an emergency preparedness plan, but what he would like to emphasize is that climate change is affecting all regions of the province, and when bad weather comes a coordinated response is what’s going to be required.

“We can’t be in the business of pointing fingers of whose responsibility it is, it’s everyone’s responsibility” says Pawson, who notes that with shelters at capacity a plan needs to be integrated so they can plan in advance of bad weather.