The City of Montreal is blaming the rollercoaster weather for the slow cleanup of streets and sidewalks.
With streets throughout Montreal covered in ice, the city is saying cleaning up from the weekend's storm – that brought freezing rain and plunging temperatures – will take longer than anticipated.
City spokesperson Jacques-Alain Lavallée said normally the amount of snow that fell could be cleaned up in four days, but the cold snap and the freeze is making removing the snow difficult.
He said all sidewalks throughout the city should have been covered with abrasives and salt at least once since Sunday, and that many boroughs are now working on second and third passes for some streets.
"Despite the fact that our teams were on the road putting abrasives on the sidewalks and on the streets we had to make several rounds because, like on Sunday for instance, the abrasives got washed away by the rain. So that is why we're making several rounds," said Lavallée.
He also said the cold temperatures are causing delays as crews adjust the mix of salt and grit being spread. Crews were forced to adjust their tactics by using less salt and more sand and gravel in places, because salt doesn’t work in extreme cold.
"Because the temperature is so cold, we have to adjust the temperature of what we're putting on the sidewalks. Salt is no longer effective beyond minus 15."
Lavallée said one third of the cleanup is over and promised it would be completed on Friday.
The head of the blue collars union, Michel Parent, said the snow and ice could have been dealt with much faster if the city had been willing to bring in extra workers during the freezing rain that fell on Sunday.
The city said it told the boroughs to act fast.
“The signal that was given was to make sure that everybody starts as soon as possible to tackle the issue,” said Harout Chitilian, vice-president of Montreal’s executive committee.
Chitilian said even his relatives are complaining about the slippery sidewalks.
“I have family members that were on the sidewalks and they did tell me that it was difficult look we're admitting that the situation that we are facing is exceptional,” he said.
Slippery sidewalks causing falls
Several dozen people fell and injured themselves badly enough to require hospitalization on Monday, with the MUHC system reporting about 40 admissions to emergency rooms because of falls.
Dr. Tarek Razek said some people were showing up with relatively lesser injuries, but that falls can have lifelong consequences for the elderly.
"We see anything from minor bruises and bumps and things like this but unfortunately major, major fractures, leg and arm fractures, broken bones and rib fractures which can be really serious in terms of the consequences," said Dr. Razek.
"I don't know if you ever had a rib fracture but it's nasty. But if you're older it can cause death because of the consequences to your pulmonary system and pneumonia and things like this."
The CHUM network said 12 people visited ERs on Monday, but that more than 20 people were brought to emergency wards on Tuesday before noon.
Difficult for wheelchair users
For those with reduced mobility, the uneven and icy sidewalks make getting around extremely difficult.
“I cannot go training, I cannot go out with my friends, I cannot attend some volunteering events,” said Laurent Morissette, who uses a wheelchair to get around. “You know, I cannot spend my life.”
