Cambridge property owner blindsided by nearly $700 sidewalk snow-clearing bill

A landlord from Cambridge is on the hook for nearly $700 in sidewalk clearing costs from the city. CTV’s Spencer Turcotte reports.

A Cambridge landlord says she was shocked to receive a nearly $700 bill from the city for sidewalk snow clearing at one of her rental properties.

Kayla Andrade owns a six-unit rental property on Elgin Street North in Cambridge. While the sidewalk there is clear now, she said there wasn’t much snow to begin with following a light snowfall on a Saturday in December.

She said the city left a notice at the property that day, which she does not live at, and they returned once again, eventually clearing the snow themselves.

“The city had come out to put a notice on this property’s door. They came back again on the 14th, the very next day,” Andrade said. “Then they did another fee of $86 for the reinspection on the 16th and then just started to do the work.”

When all the costs were added up — including reinspection fees, snow-clearing charges, fines and administrative costs — the total came to $691.90.

Andrade said she believes the city should notify landlords more directly when there is an issue at a rental property.

“Oh, I need to be in my snowsuit? I need to be in front of my property 24/7 to make sure that I catch every snowflake that falls on the sidewalk?” she said.

She also questioned the timeline between the notice being posted and the city clearing the sidewalk, saying it all happened in a span of three days.

“They definitely did not give me enough time,” Andrade said. “They came out and took matters into their own hands.”

Andrade said she also photographed several city-owned sidewalks that she believes were not cleared to the same standard, including a section in front of her own property.

“In the City of Cambridge they have a bylaw where if there’s no little grassy area between the curb and the sidewalk, they’re supposed to be responsible,” she said, adding that portion wasn’t cleared when they originally dropped off the notice.

Frustrated with the situation, Andrade even turned to humour — using artificial intelligence to create a character she calls “Ice Inspector Ken,” poking fun at the city’s own AI-based snow-clearing campaign.

“I think Ken does really represent what the city’s all about now,” she said.

In an emailed statement to CTV News, Director of Municipal Bylaw Compliance Elisabeth Slusarcyk said the matter is under investigation and could not be commented on directly.

However, the statement noted that residents who want to challenge a penalty can do so through proper channels.

“Residents who wish to dispute a penalty notice should use the City’s Administrative Penalty System, which provides a fair and transparent review process and includes the opportunity to request disclosure related to their file,” wrote Slusarcyk. “This is the appropriate and only process to dispute a penalty.”

Andrade said a screening officer has since reduced the fine to $175, but she still plans to continue fighting it.

She says the dispute is no longer about the money, but about improving how property owners are notified when issues arise.