Three quarters of snow removal trucks are now equipped with side guards in Montreal to better protect pedestrians and cyclists. The entire fleet of vehicles should be equipped with these devices in 2023, promised the City of Montreal.
At the dawn of a new winter season, the director of the Service de concertation des arrondissements, Martin Savard, painted the portrait of snow removal operations in front of the members of the executive committee on Wednesday morning.
Since 2020, the installation of side guards on snow removal trucks is required in calls for tenders for contracts. This measure now means that some 1,050 of the 1,400 snow-clearing vehicles that hit the road in Montreal are equipped with this equipment, or 73% of snow-clearing sectors. All snow removal vehicles should be equipped with side bars in 2023, said Mr. Savard.
Montreal has already carried out a first snow loading operation on Monday, after the precipitation of snow and rain. The head of snow removal at the executive committee, Maja Vodanovic, indicated that this first operation was aimed in particular at avoiding the creation of snow and ice piles on the sides of the sidewalks, which had caused major problems last winter, because this ice prevents the flow of water. “We don’t just manage the snow. We mainly manage the ice. The temperature is more and more unpredictable, ”she explained.
The City has budgeted $ 177.7 million for snow removal in 2021. In 2020, an amount of $ 179.7 million had been devoted to these operations.
Montreal will table its budget on December 22
The Plante-Ollivier administration will table the 2022 budget for the City of Montreal as well as the 2021-2030 Ten-Year Capital Works Program (PDI) on December 22, announced Valérie Plante on Wednesday morning.
The mayor on Wednesday reiterated her election promise to limit tax hikes to 2% in 2022, although the inflation rate may be higher next year. “There is high inflation expected. It has already started, ”she said during the weekly executive committee meeting. “We know that this inflation will have an impact on the cost of housing, food, transport and the electricity bill next winter. We want to do our part to help those for whom it is tighter and to leave as much money as possible in the pockets of Montrealers. Our budget will be aligned with this reality. “
The budget and the PDI will be the subject of a study by the Finance Committee during the month of January for adoption on January 21, 2022 by the municipal council.
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