After the snow and rain, it’s time for ice. The City of Montreal is calling on the population to exercise caution, particularly on sidewalks, where many surfaces are still extremely slippery despite the intensive work of the boroughs.
“Our concern remains the icy sidewalks. It’s still very uneven in the territory, so everyone has to be extremely careful. And we ask people to point out the most problematic sectors to us,” says the City’s administrative spokesperson, Philippe Sabourin.
Since Wednesday, its teams had been expecting a sustained appearance of ice in the morning, the mercury having started to fall again on Thursday after the weather cocktail on Wednesday which brought a lot of snow and water to the road. “There are several boroughs that took another look at their sidewalks last night to ensure that they were in good condition. And if we have to come back again, we will do it,” promises Mr. Sabourin.
This all comes as the 19 boroughs of the metropolis began their snow loading operations during the night. This should last at least a few days and could be disrupted by the next bout of snow expected on Saturday.
Another system which crosses the central United States and will go up the Great Lakes should arrive in Quebec during the night of Friday to Saturday. Another broadside of around fifteen centimeters is expected, according to Environment Canada. Small amounts of snow and rain are also expected between now and Thursday and Friday.
At this stage, it is still unknown whether the ice caused more damage to municipal equipment. Around 15% of them are generally damaged during a loading operation.
Paramedics on alert
At Urgences-Santé, intervention supervisor Jean-Mari Dufresne said Thursday he was “concerned” by the situation.
“At the moment, most paths, sidewalks and roads are relatively icy, so there is always a risk. We really ask people to be vigilant. “It’s better to be five minutes late for an appointment than not to show up,” he says.
Urgences-Santé recommends that citizens – and particularly the elderly – stay at home if possible. Wearing crampons under shoes is also suggested for the most vulnerable, to prevent falls. “If you see someone fall, first go see the person before calling 911,” adds Mr. Dufresne.
According to data from Montreal Public Health, a third of seniors aged 65 and over fall each year. And among people who fall, around four in ten need to be hospitalized.
Thus, in 2021, 6,800 Montreal seniors were hospitalized following a fall. Nearly 275 of them died from their injuries. On its website, the Montreal Regional Public Health Department (DRSP) offers several prevention tips to avoid ice-related injuries.