LAURIE WEIR
The annual Coldest Night of the Year walk will take place Feb. 22 at the Carleton Place Canoe Club, 179 John St., bringing the community together to support those experiencing homelessness.
Registration opens at 4 p.m., with participants choosing between a two-kilometre or five-kilometre route starting at 5 p.m. Walkers will be treated to chili and buns at 6 p.m., with additional refreshments provided by Tim Hortons and Starbucks. The event will also feature face painting for children and other community activities.
Starbucks Lanark County currently leads in fundraising, with CFUW Perth and District in second place. The Ontario Provincial Police and several local churches have also entered teams.
The Coldest Night of the Year (CNOY) is an annual, nationwide fundraising walk that supports local charities assisting people experiencing homelessness, hunger and hardship. Organized by the Blue Sea Foundation, the event takes place in communities across Canada, typically on the last Saturday of February. Funds raised go toward shelters, meal programs and outreach services in participating communities.
Locally, funds raised in Carleton Place will support Cornerstone Landing, a non-profit organization dedicated to preventing, reducing and ending youth homelessness in Lanark County. The organization has set a $40,000 fundraising goal and has already surpassed the halfway mark with $26,000 raised.
According to Cornerstone Landing’s website, youth homelessness is often hidden in rural communities, with many young people relying on temporary solutions such as couch-surfing. When those options run out, they may resort to sleeping outside, in abandoned buildings or in vehicles. Since launching a capital campaign in 2018, Cornerstone Landing has purchased a home with three transitional beds and built Lanark County’s first secondary housing unit for affordable living. Funds raised through CNOY directly support these efforts, including the addition of a tiny home studio unit to provide more stable housing options.
Emily Hollington, Lanark County’s social services director, updated Carleton Place council on Jan. 28 about efforts to address homelessness. She shared alarming statistics, including a 25 per cent rise in homelessness across Ontario from 2022 to 2023, with more than 81,000 people affected and 1,400 encampments. She highlighted the link between homelessness, mental health and substance abuse, noting systemic failures as a contributing factor.
In Lanark County, 81 people were homeless in December 2024, including 15 seniors and several children. Smiths Falls had 31 homeless individuals, Perth 13 and Carleton Place nine households.
Lanark County administers a short-term emergency shelter benefit through the Housing Assistance Program. This program supports people who have recently become homeless, victims of domestic violence, or those impacted by an apartment fire or a similar type of emergency.
For information on the short-term emergency shelter benefit, call 613-267-4200, ext. 2140, or toll-free at 1-888-9-LANARK.
Lanark County Victim Services provides after-hours response to individuals and families who are homeless and in need of emergency social services. Services provided are based on assessed needs and may include assistance with securing emergency accommodations for the night, food and transportation.
Individuals and families in need within Lanark County can call 613-206-1486 from Monday to Friday from 4 p.m. to 8:30 a.m. and 24 hours a day on weekends and holidays to access this service.
During office hours, contact Lanark County Social Services – Homeless Response Team directly for assistance with homelessness emergencies at 613-267-4200, ext. 2117.
To register for the Coldest Night of the Year, visit the Cornerstone Landing website or call 1-877-743-3413 for more information.
