Amid snow clearing challenges, municipalities ask for ‘patience’

CTV’s Colton Wiens hears from a Cambridge resident frustrated about snow clearing efforts on his road, while municipalities explain priorities.

As another big snowfall is expected to hit southern Ontario this weekend, city officials are urging patience for crews who have been working almost nonstop to clear the roadways.

Staff with the City of Kitchener told CTV News that plow drivers have been deployed repeatedly and for longer periods of time, which has put a lot of pressure on those doing the work and the resources available.

“Based on a five-year average, Kitchener typically experiences five snow events from November through April annually,” the city said in an email. “As of January 21, seven snow events have been declared, resulting in greater demand on City staff, equipment, and resources like sand and road salt.”

The City of Kitchener said due to a provincial salt shortage, it’s increasing the use of sand rather than salt on main roads. But, on residential and back roads, plowing will remain the primary method of maintenance and salt use will be minimal.

In Cambridge, a resident on Bugdale Drive told CTV News that the plows which have come by his place, haven’t been doing what he expected.

“We have not seen our streets addressed in seven weeks. If a plow has come by, it is not done what it’s needed to do to get the job done,” said Robert Longphee, the Cambridge resident.

Bugdale Drive has been plowed, but the street now has a pack of snow on it and the concrete is hard to find. Longphee said he’d expect the city to put down salt and try and break up the building snow.

“They’re skimming centimeters of snow as they come by, rarely dropping salt and or, sand on our roads. And it’s difficult, it’s frustrating. I mean, we’re taxpayers,” Longphee said.

“I think meeting the need is doing what I think residents are paying for, which is properly salting, sanding and clearing our streets of the snow. Not just skimming snow off the road.”

According to Longphee, residents on Bugdale Dr. have been asking the city since early December to clear the snowpack from the road but haven’t heard much.

“It has been very clear since the second week of December that we’ve been asking, almost demanding attention. No results,” Longphee said.

Although a build up of snow and ice now fills the entire roadway, it is still driveable.

However, Longphee said it’s been causing issues for people who live on the street this winter.

“I have two neighbors that have both had damage to their vehicles. The fascia of the lower part of their vehicle is being damaged because they’re trying to move from their home just to the stop sign to get onto the road,” Longphee said.

Minimum maintenance standards for municipalities require residential roads to have a minimum width to allow vehicles to pass, but don’t require them to be bare.

The City of Cambridge did not have anyone available for an interview, but told CTV News in an email that staff continue to work around the clock and are asking residents for patience.

“Crews have been deployed on an ongoing basis this month as we have had at least triple the amount of Snow Events so far in January on average,” the email said.

“Bugdale is a small residential road which would be treated once primary routes with higher traffic volumes are addressed and in line with our Winter Maintenance Program. Residential roads are treated with salt/sand where needed. Salt is primarily used on priority routes as a result of the province-wide salt shortage and due to environmental considerations.”

The city added snowplows are unable to lift snowpack and residents are asked to drive according to the conditions until above-zero temperatures return and break up the snow/ice.