The city now says plywood it erected to block homeless people from hot air vents behind Hamilton City Hall was set up without a necessary building permit and using the wrong material. It has now been replace with more 'fire-resistant' material, it says.
Hamilton's medical officer of health is warning people to bundle up and stay indoors as overnight temperatures are set to plummet to -22 C with wind chill.
A cold weather alert has been issued for Hamilton for the second time this week as shelters continue to struggle with capacity. A city official says as many as 35 people are without a place to stay.