‘They should have left it’: Mount Royal residents bemoan city’s snow clearing efforts

WATCH: City crews have finished clearing residential roadways of snow for the winter, but not everyone is pleased with the efforts.

City crews have finished clearing residential roadways of snow for the winter, but not everyone is pleased with the efforts.

“How can you turn around and say that this is done?” Mount Royal resident Mark Williams said as he looked at thick blocks of snow and ice piled along his street.

On Feb. 21, the city made the decision to clear snow on all residential streets as a proactive way of reducing ruts after a lengthy cold snap was quickly followed by stretch of warm temperatures above the freezing mark.

Williams has been left frustrated with the city’s current policy towards snow clearing at this time of year. Suddenly, street parking is no longer available, and the road isn’t clear of all ice and snow.

He feels it’s the city’s responsibility to come back and clear the remaining piles of snow.

He and his neighbours are voicing their concerns to city hall, but they say no one is taking them seriously.

“This has been going on for years. These people have owned their house for over 30 years,” Williams said, gesturing to his neighbours.

“This happens every winter. They complain to the city, the city just passes it back to them that they’ve done their job, and they will not be coming back to do it.”

The city’s roadways manager says current service levels have city crews moving into residential areas when there is more than six inches of snowpack.

Once snowpack is thicker than six inches, the city has historically seen ruts become a problem. Many light vehicles struggle to drive in them, and the deep pits increase the risk of collisions.

While not all areas had snow cleared down to the pavement, the city’s goal was to blade all streets so none remained over that six-inch threshold.

“We try and strike a balance right in the middle of there of getting down to enough snow and ice pack left where we’re still leaving space for parking if we’re able to,” Cam Leclaire said.

Leclaire also said the city didn’t notify residents because the blading happens so quickly with crews moving to so many different neighbourhoods, they wouldn’t be able to do it in a reasonable time frame.

As for people who no longer have a parking space in front of their home, that’s not Leclaire’s main concern.

“Our priority is to make sure that people are able to get where they need to go -- mobility and safety on our streets,” Leclaire said.

“We look at that first, and then unfortunately, parking space comes second to that.”

Allan Metz, another Mount Royal resident, spent three days chipping away at the ice left in front of his home to reclaim his parking spot. He says his street was fine on its own.

“They should have left it is what they should have done. They should have left it. Before, it was fine,” Metz said.

Leclaire said the main reason for not clearing the piles left in a plow’s wake is the cost. He estimates it would have cost roughly $18 million dollars to clear every residential area across the city.

Despite a property tax increase of 4.96 per cent in 2025, snow clearing would be in addition to that since it is unbudgeted work.

Williams feels the city has the money and is instead prioritizing other business.

“Somewhere there’s a disconnect. Is it the budgeting? Is it the choices after it’s been budgeted to divert it elsewhere? (The money) is not going to where it’s supposed to,” he said.

Leclaire said the city completed blading residential roads last Saturday. Crews may still be removing snow on roads that weren’t completed because of parked vehicles or ongoing construction, but that work is expected to be complete by the end of the week.