ETS investigates claim transit officers ejected people from LRT station into extreme cold

Edmonton Transit Service is investigating a claim that several people trying to stay warm in a downtown LRT station were expelled by transit officers into the extreme cold early Wednesday morning.  

Michael Sharpe says he, his girlfriend and about 20 others were trying to sleep in the Churchill LRT station when they were approached by officers at 2 a.m.

"There were no more trains running, so they were closing," Sharpe told CBC News. "They told us to find somewhere else warm to go." 

None of the officers offered or mentioned the possibility of transportation to a shelter, he said.

"We wandered around for about three and a half hours," Sharpe said. 

Earlier in the evening, Sharpe, 40, and his girlfriend had been turned away from the Commonwealth Stadium homeless shelter because it was at capacity, he said. 

"We don't have cell phones or communication," he said. "We were just walking around, hoping for the best I guess." 

The temperature in Edmonton at 3 a.m. was -30.8 C, with a windchill of -41.

"Near-death cold is how it felt," Sharpe said.

"When the doors finally opened again, I felt like my feet were soaking wet, they were so cold. But they weren't actually wet, they were just frozen."

Judith Gale, with the Bear Clan Patrol Beaver Hills House, said she was shocked to find out that so many were sent out into the cold over night. 

"I think that is so inhumane," Gale said. "Everybody needs the necessities of life. Every human being on Mother Earth." 

Mayor Amarjeet Sohi said he was deeply disappointed by Sharpe's account.

"Every single Edmontonian deserves to be treated with empathy, respect and compassion, and this response was certainly not that," he said.