Montreal snow removal expected to be completed before the weekend
After 30 centimetres of snow walloped streets and sidewalks, the City of Montreal says it is on track to clear it all before the weekend.
As of Monday afternoon, boroughs are reporting an average of 33 per cent of snow removal operations have been completed.
The city said it’s expected to have completed half of the work by Wednesday.
Due to the heavy snowfall, some streets have required two passes to clear the snow and haul it all away.
For drivers, that means paying close attention to no parking signs. Residents should also be cautious about keeping garbage cans, recycling bins, and discarded Christmas trees off sidewalks, and consider waiting a week to put those items out if possible.
If snowplows turn onto a street and there are too many items blocking their path, they may just not clean it, explained city spokesperson Philippe Sabourin.
Sabourin noted that anyone who leaves their car in a spot where parking is prohibited should know it will not only slow down cleaning, but will also be costly.
“We’re asking everyone to move their car at the appropriate time,” said Sabourin, who says the ticket is close to $200 for a tow.
“For an example this morning on de Lorimier, there were 15 cars needing to be towed. So we’re losing time and we’re less effective when we have to tow cars. No one gains.”
He reminded motorists that the city has thousands of free parking spaces in the city that can be used during snow cleaning.
The Info-Neige app has also been what he called a game changer in that it provindes real-time information about progress on streets.
Anyone who has their vehicle towed can search for it on Info-Remorquage or call 311.
The schedule is posted on the city's website, which includes maps where alternate parking can be found.
The following measures will be in place throughout the operation:
- Free incentive parking spaces, mostly available at night;
- Rapid removal of parking bans once loading is complete in order to limit parking ban periods;
- Special attention to pavements to facilitate active travel;
- Increased interventions by the Mobility Squad to clear the public domain of any furniture or equipment that could cause machinery breakdowns that slow down operations and special surveillance around construction sites to punish illegal snow deposits on the public highway
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
'Sophisticated' cyberattacks detected on B.C. government networks, premier says
There has been a "sophisticated" cybersecurity breach detected on B.C. government networks, Premier David Eby confirmed Wednesday evening.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
Canucks claw out 5-4 comeback win over Oilers in Game 1
Dakota Joshua had a goal and two assists and the Vancouver Canucks scored three third-period goals to claw out a 5-4 comeback victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series Wednesday.
Nijjar murder suspect says he had Canadian study permit in immigration firm's video
One of the Indian nationals accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar says in a social media video that he received a Canadian study permit with the help of an Indian immigration consultancy.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.