Improving sidewalk snow-clearing

St. Boniface

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 31/01/2024 (703 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Since being elected to Winnipeg City Council, I have been navigating a path to better sidewalk snow-clearing. We have progressed from a point where the public administration was not conforming to the city’s snow- and ice-clearing policy in the city of Winnipeg, to a where it may now be in a position to do so.

The first motion I presented at council followed me slipping and falling during my walk to work, despite wearing weather-appropriate footwear. I acted immediately to ask the public service to provide multiple options and budgets for the improvement of sidewalk snow-clearing.

The subsequent report generated process improvements for sidewalk snow-clearing, including a new mechanism for the public service to track citizen requests. After this improvement was made, many councillors in Winnipeg moved to improve snow-clearing services in various ways. As then-chair of the standing policy committee on public works, I then directed the public service to report back on the many ideas presented by councillors.

This report confirmed that the public service did not have the required equipment to comply with council policy on the removal of sidewalk snow, and recommended the purchase of $3 million of new snow-clearing equipment. It took two years for the equipment to be purchased, and it is now being used during this snow-clearing season.

Since being re-elected in 2022, I have moved several motions involving snow clearing, including a motion to plow sidewalks to pavement, as is done in other jurisdictions, such as Edmonton. Transcona councillor Russ Wyatt called for a report in 2023 on options and budgets to increase the priority of sidewalk snow clearing in the city. This report contained service-level options and corresponding budgets, one of which was referred to the 2024 budget update.

I would like to thank Coun. Russ Wyatt and members of the public works committee, including current chair Coun. Janice Lukes (Waverley West), Coun. DevI Sharma (Old Kildonan), and Coun. Markus Chambers (St. Norbert – Seine River) for their support. I would also like to acknowledge the enormous contribution of Coun. Cindy Gilroy (Daniel McIntyre) and Coun. Vivian Santos (Point Douglas) in lending their political support.

From what I have seen this year, sidewalk snow-clearing seems to be better than in past years, with the use of the new equipment purchased by the city.

Despite these advances, there are still many instances of sidewalks not being cleared in a timely manner. I plan to present a motion to council that will amend the snow- and ice-control policy so residents can depend on city sidewalks being properly cleared.