Montreal borough may charge residents to dump their shovelled snow

Some resident of an east-end Montreal borough are upset to learn they may need to pay for a permit to shovel snow from their driveways into the street.

Donald Froud is already getting his snowblower ready. For years, the retired Mercier-Hochelaga-Maisonneuve resident has been helping out his neighbours by clearing their driveways and walkways.

"I'm retired so it keeps me busy," he said, "and it keeps the neighbours happy."

But no one was happy when they got a notice on their doors from the borough. The notice warned them it’s illegal to put snow from their properties on the street or sidewalk, and for those who don’t have space on their private property, they could buy a permit which will let them dump their snow on the street. The cost for his fourplex is $50 and it climbs depending on the size of the building.

"First time in my lifetime I’ve ever seen or even heard of something like this charging to put snow even from our private sidewalk onto the street here," says Froud.

In a statement, Mercier-Hochelaga-Maisonneuve Mayor Pierre Lessard Blais called the fee reasonable.

"Many other boroughs on the Island of Montreal have already implemented this type of permit. This allows you to diversify snow removal options while ensuring that snow does not block mobility infrastructure, sewers, etc." the statement read. "In many cases, the other option for citizens is to pay a fortune to get their snow removed by private services."

Froud said he feels it penalizes residents in neighbourhoods like his that don’t have large yards.

"If there’s no place left to put the snow, where are we supposed to put the snow?" he said. "In our pockets?"