Mayor Plante wants to clear snow to prioritize sidewalks instead of roads

Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante said on Monday that clearing snow should prioritize sidewalks rather than roads.

At the press conference, Plante explained how snow reform is needed to improve “the quality of the pedestrian experience.”

However, the official opposition is concerned that the changes will affect the speed of snow removal across the city.

The Plante administration presented the municipal council with a 10-year plan for snow removal that includes larger areas than before, stricter sidewalk de-icing standards and less power for local counties.

Earlier this month, Aref Salem, director of the Montreal Ensemble, criticized the Montreal project.

“I thought I was going to see the city government asking for more time to clear the snow,” he said at a news conference. “With all the service cuts, Montrealers have every right to know what the purpose of the recent record 4.9 per cent tax hike is.”

In addition, districts are limited to one local clearing operation per year, rather than two, and must pay for and obtain approval from the city to begin.