Icy sidewalks spark protest in Halifax

Protestors in Halifax marched to demand the city re-examine its snow-clearing policies.

More than 100 people gathered on Friday in Halifax to protest the glacial state of the city’s sidewalks.

The icy conditions of sidewalks and roads have come under fire from Halifax residents after weeks of wintry weather proved too much for snow-clearing crews to keep up with.

The slippery state of walkways is more than just a minor inconvenience for people with mobility issues, like Kaleigh Trace.

Trace, who has a spinal cord injury, struggles to navigate Halifax’s streets.

“What I know is since the city took over two years ago conditions have become increasingly more difficult for people with disabilities, and all pedestrians,” Trace said.

Marching through Halifax’s North End, the protestors gathered to demand the city re-evaluate its snow-clearing polices.

“I really want the city to invest in more equipment and I want them to not privatize,” saidTrace, who helped organize the protest.

Through its 3-1-1 service, the city has received more than 4,800 calls about the conditions of streets and more than 1,400 calls about sidewalks, including complaints and requests for service.

Protestor Chantel Lemieux knows first-hand the dangers of Halifax’s ice-covered sidewalks.

“I had a few choices: it was either to walk on the street, or walk through the puddles or walk on the really big snow bank,” said Lemieux, supporting herself on crutches.

“I decided to walk through the puddle … and I slipped and fell forward and I broke my ankle,” she said.

Protestor Anika Roberts-Stahlbrand was among those who believe the status quo is not good enough.

“We now are paying taxes to the government to be clearing sidewalks and it's not getting done,” she said.

It’s a message Halifax councillors say they’re also hearing from hundreds of complaint messages.

“We need to, I think, have a good discussion: can we do something differently? What is that and how fast can we get that implemented?” said city councilor Jennifer Watts.

Whatever change comes, it can’t come soon enough for Trace and others with mobility issues.

“It’s so hard … (the sidewalks) are quite impossible for all kinds of people to get around on,” she said.

With files from CTV Atlantic’s Kayla Hounsell