Edmonton's Chilling Reality: A Global Leader in Severe Frostbite
As winter's grip tightens on Alberta, a disturbing truth emerges from the capital city. Edmonton holds the dubious distinction of leading the world in documented cases of severe frostbite, a public health crisis directly linked to its homelessness emergency. This title is one that city officials and health experts are desperate to shed.
The Alarming Data Behind the Crisis
The human cost of this crisis is measured in devastating numbers. In 2024 alone, reported amputations due to frostbite reached an all-time high of 110 cases in Edmonton. This staggering figure is more than five times higher than the city's average over the preceding decade and triple the number of cases seen in Calgary during the same period.
Research pinpoints the root cause with stark clarity. A full 40 per cent of all frostbite cases in both Edmonton and Calgary were attributable to homelessness. This vulnerability explains why emergency departments see severe frostbite presentations even at temperatures as mild as -5°C, with 40 per cent of cases occurring when the mercury is warmer than -20°C.
A System Failing Its Most Vulnerable
The problem is exacerbated by a shelter system under immense strain. A second, dramatic spike in frostbite cases occurs when temperatures plummet below -35°C. This surge corresponds with the growing number of people living unsheltered or in temporary shelters, which reached 2,468 individuals in 2024, alongside an increase in enforcement against homeless encampments.
Critically, the city's safety net appears to have significant gaps. During the 2022-23 and 2023-24 winters, 35 per cent of Edmonton’s severe frostbite cases occurred when the cold-weather emergency response was not activated. For comparison, only 18 per cent of cases in Calgary happened under the same circumstances.
Preliminary data from the last winter (2024-25) is even more grim, showing that over 150 people were admitted to an Edmonton hospital for immediate treatment of severe frostbite. The Canadian Frostbite Care Network confirms that this is the highest yearly incidence rate documented in international scientific literature, solidifying Edmonton's unwanted global lead.
A Call for Immediate and Compassionate Action
The consequences of this crisis are long-lasting and brutal. For those who require amputations, a readmission to hospital is typically needed six months later to perform the surgery. If a person experiencing homelessness undergoes a permanently disabling amputation, their chances of finding stable housing and getting off the street become drastically slimmer.
Experts are calling for two key changes before another winter claims more limbs and lives. First, the City of Edmonton must revise its cold-weather emergency response trigger. Currently, the response is not activated until -20°C with windchill for three consecutive days—a threshold that fails to protect those without adequate shelter or clothing. Vancouver, for instance, activates its emergency response at 0°C.
Second, the provincial government must provide adequate resources to ensure hospitals, shelters, and correctional facilities are not discharging unhoused individuals without guaranteed 24-7 access to indoor spaces that can meet their basic needs. The time for action is now, before the deep freeze returns.
