Spring is fast approaching, and the season of big cleaning will soon begin with its waltz of mechanical brooms. Although the month of March often brings us a last spring snowfall. It is infuriating for many people, but very useful for public works departments. A final load of snow is an opportunity to pick up the garbage buried during the winter.
Contrary to its habit in recent years, this winter spared the municipalities. We haven’t had too many big, sudden temperature changes to deal with or too many difficult to clear snow storms. Despite everything, with each snowfall, a form of excitement seizes public opinion at the sight of snow and ice. As if the routine of life—including moving about—should be the same in a storm as it was in the bright sunshine of July 17.
However, our effectiveness in making winter disappear is indisputable. We have become real magicians. For example, during my first term as borough mayor, clearing snow from the 400 kilometers of sidewalks in Rosemont-La Petite-Patrie took ten to twelve hours. When I left, we were able to plow all those kilometers in less than five hours, while having tripled the saline abrasive to fight the ice. It doesn’t matter, it was so much better before!
In Montreal, in 2023, the snow removal budget is over $178 million, an increase of nearly 14% since 2017. This year, the City of Quebec has increased its snow budget from $67 million to $77 million. . All this without counting the cost overruns, year after year, due to unforeseen weather conditions.
Of course, all this represents only the direct costs, those that we know. So what about indirect costs? I am talking about those related to the impacts and damage caused to the environment, infrastructure and street furniture. This damage we will soon see during the big spring cleaning.
Every winter, nothing can resist the roaring machines and the blades of steel that unfurl on our streets and on our sidewalks. Graders do what they were made to do. They accelerate the erasure of floor markings, destroy the clogging of potholes and propel catch basin covers. On sidewalks, they accelerate the deterioration of concrete, damage trees, tear up park benches and bicycle racks. And what about the impact of salt on the creation of potholes, on vegetation, biodiversity and underground pipes?
In short, every spring, we have to repair everything that we destroyed during the winter. You will say that there must be data on these costs somewhere in town! Unfortunately no. No measurement or concrete evaluation exists to calculate these indirect costs paid with the same taxes as those who pay for this winter rampage.
I hear you telling me that the unpredictable climate creates situations that force public authorities to do better, especially on sidewalks and bike paths. How shameful it would be not to worry about people with reduced mobility! Or that these intensive operations are necessary to promote active and collective transport. I fully agree.
The question is not there. We have to adapt to climate change, and that means adapting our way of life and our expectations regarding snow removal. Continuing to do as before is not the right option. Admitting that we live in a Nordic country would already be a good start. Luckily, we’re starting to get there with more and more winter activities.
Teleworking also offers us great possibilities. Why not coordinate these days with the storms and thus avoid difficult travel? This would make it possible to review operations on less busy streets to focus more on those that require more attention due to public transport and deliveries.
We could follow the example of Granby and put only smashed stone in the local streets instead of the hundreds of kilos of salt that we currently spread. And then, as long as you’re at home, why not do like Calgary and force the owners to clear the snow from the sidewalk themselves in front of their residence!
Longueuil and Montreal are also exploring the use of artificial intelligence and big data to optimize snow removal routes and the response adapted to the different climatic conditions on their territory. Because, when there are bad weather, they are not equivalent throughout the territory of the same city.
Several solutions can be envisaged. Above all, I would say that we should have a good collective conversation about our relationship with winter. This is why a winter summit seems like a good opportunity to me. The Union of Municipalities of Quebec could take on this mandate. Let’s bring together researchers, specialists from different backgrounds, professionals and public decision-makers. Let’s look coldly and objectively at how we want to adapt and better respond to these challenges. In the meantime, we can always dream of the July sun, it doesn’t cost much!