On November 27th 2019, Council received a report on how the City will improve winter operations service this year.
The City’s number one priority for winter maintenance is to keep residents safe and the transportation network accessible. This winter, the City will change the area boundaries to better address the unique needs and infrastructure of urban, suburban and rural communities. The City will also maintain sidewalks 24 hours a day, seven days a week, in accordance with current Council-approved maintenance quality standards and improve communications with Councillors and residents about winter maintenance.
Roads and Parks Service (RPS) is committed to continuous improvement and will be further addressing issues identified by Councillors and residents as part of the upcoming maintenance quality standards (MQS) review. This MQS review will also respond to Councillor Kavanagh’s direction to staff on April 3, 2019 to review its winter maintenance standards to improve the condition of the roads, sidewalks, and other pedestrian facilities for its residents during the winter months.
Since 2015, RPS has focused on continuous improvements and invested in service efficiencies that were successfully implemented and continue to be reviewed and expanded including:
- free overnight parking in City garages during a parking ban,
- one-sided winter street parking,
- alternate (reverse) plow routes, and
- equipment pilots (Blue rotating icebreaker sidewalk attachment, Python 5000 pothole patcher, etc.)
What can residents do to help?
- Keep bins out of the way of pedestrians and plows
- Avoid parking on the street during a winter event.
- Remove basketball hoops if not already done.
- If possible, keep culverts clear
