Montreal’s potholes are here early: Here’s what to know

Montrealers haven’t made it through winter yet – and yet the city’s roads seem to be opening up with potholes.

It is a bumpy and slow-go near the corner of Papineau and Mont-Royal Avenue as a long stretch of potholes has drivers swerving to avoid damage to their cars.

Several deep potholes lined up one after another and drivers say it’s not safe.

“They’re not potholes, they’re ditches,” one driver described to CTV News.

They are likely the result of a recent freeze and thaw cycle.

These potholes may be appearing a touch early, but there are many more to come.

“We don’t believe pothole season is quite ready, but every time we see freeze and thaw cycle there will be some potholes in the city,” said Nicolas Ryan, a spokesperson for CAA Quebec.

CAA Quebec has a few tips for drivers when you approach a pothole.

“First thing that we tell people is try to reduce your speed,” Ryan said. “Whenever you’re getting to the pothole, actually release the brakes. If ever you go through a pothole with the brakes on, that can actually damage your brakes, damage your car, even more.”

The City of Montreal says potholes are on its priority list, but it’s juggling several issues.

Firstly, reducing ice to prevent pedestrian falls and injuries.

“Our biggest priority is people’s health so making sure that they’re not skating on sidewalks has to be the priority. We don’t want the hospitals to fill up,” Alan DeSousa, a member of Montreal’s executive committee.

DeSousa said it’s important residents alert the city by calling 311 or using the 311 Montreal mobile app when they see a pothole, so crews can get it fixed.

“Clearly what’s happening on the roads and making sure that the roads are safe and drivable with a minimum amount of damage to cars is obviously on our radar screen,” DeSousa said.

If your car is damaged by a pothole, CAA says it’s not exactly easy getting the city to pick up the bill.

“You have to prove two things in order to actually sue a city for it. The first thing is that the city must know about the danger in front of them,” Ryan said. “And then the second part is that you got to prove that they were negligent.”