The leaves have got to leave: Montreal workers tackling 18,000 tons of cleanup
Five-hundred City of Montreal workers are on fall cleanup duty, removing leaves that were radiant just weeks ago, but are now littering the streets.
"It's important to grab those leaves from the street," says city spokesperson Philippe Sabourin. "Otherwise, it could become slippery, and the leaves could also obstruct the sewer."
According to Sabourin, the falling leaf season starts later than usual due to rising temperatures. That's a problem, because, ideally, the leaves would all be gone before the first significant snowfall.
Leaf-clearing crews are now racing against the clock, but they say they're often slowed down by citizens who put the leaves from their lawns on the street.
"Sometimes we're passing on the street and just behind us they're putting the leaves," notes Francois Paquet with the Rivière-des-Prairies-Pointe-aux-Trembles borough.
The city is asking citizens to keep their own leaves on their lawns and use them as mulch to nourish the soil.
Sabourin says that would allow workers to complete their jobs quicker and save fuel costs by requiring trucks to make fewer trips to the eco-centre.
"We want to concentrate our efforts on the cleaning and the maintenance of the streets, and citizens will help the city by keeping their leaves on their yard."
The city says that if you do want to get rid of your leaves, put them in paper bags -- plastic ones are banned in all but four boroughs -- and bring them to the curb on the days the city collects organic waste.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Air Canada walks back new seat selection policy change after backlash
Air Canada has paused a new seat selection fee for travellers booked on the lowest fares just days after implementing it.
Province boots mayor and council in small northern Ont. town out of office
An ongoing municipal strike, court battles and revolt by half of council has prompted the province to oust the mayor and council in Black River-Matheson.
3 law officers serving warrant are killed, 5 wounded in shootout at North Carolina home, police say
Three officers on a U.S. Marshals Task Force serving a warrant for a felon wanted for possessing a firearm were killed and five other officers were wounded in a shootout Monday at a North Carolina home, police said.
'Shocked and concerned': Calgary principal charged with possession of child pornography
A Calgary elementary school principal has been charged with possession of child pornography, authorities announced Monday.
Health authority confirms cockroaches at B.C. hospital, insists they 'do not bite'
The Vancouver Island Health Authority is downplaying what staff describe as a cockroach infestation in a medical unit of Saanich Peninsula Hospital.
Toronto police arrest 12 people, lay 102 charges in major credit card fraud scheme
Toronto police say 12 people are facing a combined 102 charges in connection with an investigation into a major credit fraud scheme.
Winner of US$1.3 billion Powerball jackpot is an immigrant from Laos who has cancer
One of the winners of a historic US$1.3 billion Powerball jackpot last month is an immigrant from Laos who has had cancer for eight years and had his latest chemotherapy treatment last week.
Britney and Jamie Spears settlement avoids long, potentially ugly and revealing trial
Britney Spears and her father Jamie Spears will avoid what could have been a long, ugly and revealing trial with a settlement of the lingering issues in the court conservatorship that controlled her life and financial decisions for nearly 14 years.
WATCH 'Double whammy': What happens if you don't file your taxes by the deadline
The clock is ticking ahead of the deadline to file a 2023 income tax return. A personal finance expert explains why you should get them done -- even if you owe more than you can pay.