Extreme cold warning: wind chill expected to reach -20C in Burnaby

Bitterly cold weather will continue in Burnaby for the next couple of days, says Canada’s national weather service.

Environment Canada has issued an arctic outflow warning for Metro Vancouver through to Thursday, saying residents can expect wind chills of minus 25 to 20C along with strong winds.

Some areas further east, including Hope, could see wind chills up to minus 30C.

The agency says an arctic front that’s brought in a cold airmass to the south coast means Metro Vancouver is seeing temperatures five to ten degrees below seasonal averages.

“Ensure that shelter is provided for pets and outdoor animals. Be prepared for unusually cold temperatures and strong winds,” Environment Canada wrote.

Burnaby has activated its extreme weather shelter, with 20 overnight spaces available for those seeking shelter from the cold.

The centre, located at 7320 Buller Ave., will be open from 8:30pm until 8am until further notice.

It operates in addition to several other emergency shelters across the city. Douglas Shelter (2294 Douglas Rd.), operated by Progressive Housing, is a 24/7 shelter with 40 spaces, as is the Emergency Response Centre at 3680 Sperling Ave.

Lookout Housing runs extreme cold weather response shelters with approximately 20 spaces at Southside Community Church, 7135 Walker Ave. (open the 1st to the 15th of the month), and Westminster Bible Chapel, 7540 6th St. (open the 16th to end of the month).

Meanwhile, BC Hydro said in a press release Tuesday that the extreme cold led to a record-breaking usage of electricity across the province.

Consumption between 5-6pm on Monday evening reached more than 10,800 megawatts—the highest ever recorded.

“With more sub-zero temperatures in the coming days, BC Hydro expects demand will remain high and there is the potential to see this latest record fall before the cold snap ends,” said spokesperson Susie Rieder in a press release.

“Despite the significant increase, we want to assure our customers that we will continue to be able to meet demand for electricity across the province this winter because of our large integrated hydroelectric system.”