Slip slidin’ in the bitter cold Streets turn into skating rinks, driving becomes a slow-moving adventure By: Joyanne Pursaga Posted: 6:29 PM CST Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026

Winnipeg drivers are struggling to get a grip on icy, slick roads, despite a city assurance that crews are continually putting down sand.

While Manitoba Public Insurance counted 1,983 collisions in Winnipeg between Jan. 10 and Tuesday, there’s been no break in efforts to improve traction, according to city council’s public works chairwoman.

“When it’s really cold, it’s just much (more slippery).… We have sanders out but it’s really slick and people really have to drive to the conditions,” said Coun. Janice Lukes.

Lukes (Waverley West) said the road surface when she drove from Polo Park into downtown Thursday morning was like “a sheet of ice.”

Environment Canada issued an extreme cold warning for Winnipeg Thursday, with expected wind chill values of -40 to -45.

“Ice becomes harder and more polished in extremely cold weather. And… rubber tires can stiffen in cold weather, lowering traction,” said Lukes.

Michael Cantor, the city’s manager of street maintenance, said vehicles also displace sand as they drive over it.

“In these conditions, we are continuously… applying sand where we usually apply it, which is at stopping areas, stopping lines, turns.… (Sanding has) gone on for days. We are going from our main routes to our residentials, back and forth. We’re sanding sidewalks, as well,” said Cantor.

Early Thursday afternoon, 20 spreaders were laying down sand throughout Winnipeg, he noted.

“Ice becomes harder and more polished in extremely cold weather. And… rubber tires can stiffen in cold weather, lowering traction.”

The extreme cold conditions prevent the city from spreading salt, which becomes ineffective when temperatures drop below -10 C or colder.

Manitoba Public Insurance spokeswoman Tara Seel echoed Lukes’ call for drivers to be extra cautious.

“Accelerate slowly, brake slowly and slow down overall to be able to drive to conditions,” said Seel.

Of the 1,983 Winnipeg collisions reported to MPI between Jan. 10 and Tuesday, the highest number of crashes in a single day reported was 285 last Friday, and the lowest was 131 Tuesday.

Johnny Vernaus, owner of Vernaus Autobody, said he’s spotted several vehicle parts left behind by crashes at intersections in recent days.

While he’s received “quite a few” calls about recent fender-benders, Vernaus said the volume appears to match usual levels for this time of year.

“When it’s really cold like this, a lot of people stay home. You’re only going out if you have to.… (Driving) mistakes are made when there’s lots of people on the road. So… we’re actually busier in the summer,” he said.

Vernaus said a seasonal uptick in mechanical repairs for vehicles that won’t start is also keeping his shop busy.

Meanwhile, other Winnipeggers have shared concerns over an abundance of windrows piling up in their neighbourhoods.

Coun. Brian Mayes said he received a “flurry” of complaints this week about the tall mounds of ice and snow blocking back lanes.

Mayes (St. Vital) noted city policy has long been to clear windrows that reach 20 centimetres or higher from front streets and leave residents to remove them from back lanes.

This week, the demand on residents rose, he said, after the city cleared some back lanes twice in just two days, including his.

“It is something new that there’s this much plowing?” he said.

Derek Watt, who uses a walker, said he struggled to clear the windrow in his Windsor Park back lane this week and is frustrated the city didn’t help. He said programs should be in place to assist people with disabilities in clearing what plows leave behind.

“I really believe it was almost a miracle I didn’t trip over my walker. I don’t understand how I didn’t hurt myself,” he said. “I’m angry that I had to do it.”

Cantor confirmed the city does not have a program to assist with the removal of back lane windrows.

He said it would be very difficult for the city to clear the mounds of ice and snow from all back lanes after every snow-clearing operation.

“The problem is that most of the locations, you don’t have free area to dump it. You (would) have to haul away all (that ice and snow), which becomes a very long and expensive process,” said Cantor.

Meanwhile, the city has been hauling away piles of snow that obscure drivers’ sight lines since December, prioritizing major routes, Cantor said.

Winnipeg Police Service said its members did not see a noticeable difference in the number of recent collisions, though police respond to minor crashes only if they cause a traffic hazard or public safety issue.

Winnipeg Transit has not seen a significant increase in collisions this week, city spokesman Adam Campbell said in an email.

Campbell said 11 traffic signals were damaged in collisions across the city between Jan. 15 and Wednesday.

— With files from Kevin Rollason

joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

X: @joyanne_pursaga