Sidewalk snow-clearing pilot stays small on old Toronto streets

'Disappointing that nothing’s changed': Deer Park resident

Toronto.com
October 18, 2019
David Nickle

Toronto will embark on a limited test of equipment to clear snow from narrow sidewalks in old City of Toronto neighbourhoods this winter -- and not a more fulsome pilot project as was recommended by an outside consultant, a Toronto committee has decided.

The city’s Infrastructure and Environment Committee voted Oct. 17 to receive the report on Toronto’s winter maintenance practises from transportation staff, and voted down a motion from University-Rosedale Coun. Mike Layton that would have seen the question of what to do with Toronto’s sidewalk snow-clearing policies go to Toronto Council at the end of the month.

John Plumadore, a representative of the Deer Park Residents’ Group, was at the meeting hoping to see a promise of snow-clearing from his St. Clair Avenue/Yonge Street area neighbourhood.

“It was disappointing that nothing’s changed, and the city’s still going forward with the pilot and delaying the inevitable: that one day we all should have the same sidewalk snow and ice removal.”

Layton, meanwhile, was incensed that the committee did not send the report on to council.

“Last year this was big news,” said Layton after the meeting. “The mayor said with great fanfare I’m getting sidewalks cleared. Instead we’re here not doing nearly enough.”

Layton was referring to a letter by Mayor John Tory, endorsed by Toronto Council, asking city staff to embark on a review of Toronto’s winter maintenance policies and practises -- in particular, the disparity of service levels between residential streets in the former City of Toronto, and those in the rest of the city.

In the former Toronto, property owners on residential streets are responsible for clearing sidewalks outside their homes -- while in the rest of Toronto, the city will clear residential sidewalks after heavy snowfalls.

Last winter, several residents’ groups and downtown councillors said that consistently low temperatures and heavy snowfalls meant that many of those streets had sidewalks that were virtually impassible because not all homeowners bothered to clear their walks.

The wide-ranging winter maintenance review conducted in part by HDR Consultants recommended that the city embark on a pilot project to clear about 250 kilometres of the 1,400 kilometres of downtown streets.

Transportation staff said that target wasn’t feasible -- and instead promised to embark on a smaller pilot, that would clean streets where the city already shovels in front of the homes of elderly people and people with disabilities.

Transportation Services General Manager Barbara Gray told the committee that the city is purchasing a small number of smaller mechanical snowploughs that would be suitable for the narrower walks in older parts of the city, but because there are more encroachments on downtown sidewalks, it’s impractical to attempt to clear all the sidewalks before the city can complete a full assessment.

Layton wasn’t buying it, and suggested the city could easily purchase the necessary equipment.

“We know the technology’s out there -- other cities do this, what’s the holdup?” he said. “Some people, when it snows, can’t move around the city because other people don’t clear the snow from their buildings.”

Layton’s motion asked for a report directly to council on what it would take to implement the full 250 kilometre pilot project -- and also a report on just how many kilometres would be cleared under the staff recommended project, as well as a report on what it would take to better clear bike lanes after snow events.

Committee chair James Pasternak said all of those things should be going to the city’s budget committee -- not Toronto Council directly, and noted that there are many examples of disparity and unfairness between different parts of the city.

“This can go to budget -- you’re more than welcome to bring it there,” he said. “But a divisive debate at council -- I don’t think we have the stomach for it.”

Following the meeting, Layton suggested that Tory’s office had made it clear that they were satisfied with the staff plan as was.

Tory’s spokesperson Don Peat said in an email said the mayor supported the staff plan.

“Councillor Layton -- who only consulted our office minutes before the meeting started -- was informed the mayor supports accepting the advice of our professional city staff as did a majority of councillors on the committee,” he said.

Peat noted that the report found that, overall, Toronto’s snow-clearing service is the same or better than service in surrounding GTHA municipalities.