Montreal man experiencing homelessness dies after night out in extreme cold

Montreal police say a man experiencing homelessness died after spending the night outside in extreme cold.

Police say they responded to a call about a case of possible hypothermia Monday night at an encampment in the city’s west end.

They say a 74-year-old man was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Environment Canada says temperatures in Montreal hovered around -20 C Monday night, and the weather agency says the extreme cold will last until Wednesday.

Quebec’s public health director on Monday night called on shelters to disregard pandemic-related capacity limits and fully reopen to people experiencing homelessness.

The coroner’s office is investigating the man’s death.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published on Jan. 11, 2022.