There’s no doubt this has been a snowier winter than most. Now the city has released data on just how challenging it’s been to keep the city’s roads and sidewalks clear. According to a social media post from Ward 11 Coun. Skylar Franke, more than 200 centimeters of snow have been cleared by city crews this winter. Snowplows are typically deployed six times in a typical winter. Franke says that this winter, they’ve been deployed 32 times so far. She adds that sidewalk plows are deployed eight times in a typical year, but this winter they’ve been deployed 35 times. Franke says snowplows have been out each day for the past two weeks due to extreme cold and frequent snowfall causing persistent snowpack across the city. Due to a three week-long deep freeze however, she says the effectiveness of road salt and anti-icing products “making bare pavement conditions difficult to maintain despite continuous efforts.” This comes amid a province-wide shortage of road salt. During the most extreme conditions however, plow frequency and sanding were increased on major thoroughfares.
