Mayor Olivia Chow's Toronto

[Northern Light]

On an update from the Mayor and some sr staff, City Manager said snow removal will begin Wednesday

You heard it here first.

Ok @PL1 and @innsertnamehere were both close'ish (based on current estimates)

The City projects completing plowing by late Tuesday or the wee hours of Wednesday.

****

On snow bank removal @PL1 has the field.......... best estimate 15-20 days from Wednesday evening. Current extended forecast - 14 days does not show any temps at or above zero

 

[Amare]

On an update from the Mayor and some sr staff, City Manager said snow removal will begin Wednesday. Also that they're doing things right now like punching holes into big snow banks so people can get on snow banks in the time before removal begins. City Manager says more areas are available for them to put the removed snow and they have new equipment, like snow melters, which the city didn't previously have/use, and in previous years they ran out of capacity which slowed down removal.

Mayor says snow removal will be faster in part because 311 will be accepting requests and there is better coordination between city and emergency services, and different city departments (ie newer equipment). Also highlights there is nothing in the contract from 2021 that requires the contractors to remove snow, so the city can't demand they just do it. Councillor Fletcher was asked if it was a mistake to sign the current contract and she says yes.

Excellent summary.

Also in said press conference; once clearing operations have settled down, the city has to redeploy city staff to focus on snow removal since contractors arent obliged to remove (they only clear snow).

 

[picard102]

* editorial note, not sure if it was Matt's mistake or The Star, but its not 'Hydroponic' its 'Hydronic'

Snow removal and fresh vegetables? Sign me up.

 

[Monarch Butterfly]

After the fact, some humour...

Sritama Som

Breaking news 🚨‼️❄️🚓: After one too many snowstorms, winter’s CEO has finally been arrested. Charges include: excessive snowfall, icy roads, and emotional damage to Canada 😂☃️❄️🇨🇦...

www.facebook.com

Disclaimer

This is AI-generated content — totally fictional

No humans

, no animals

were harmed in the making of this snowy nonsense

.
Note: No politics here—just pure fun, harmless jokes, and good vibes

Relax, laugh, repeat!
No copyright feel free to share & spread some joy

#jokes #Elsa #TooMuchSnow #TorontoWinter #WinterIsHere #drivingconditions #WeatherAlert #TravelWarning #LocalAlert #TravelAdvisory #winter #excessivesnow #snowfall #letitsnow #frozen #novascotia #quebec #ontario #traveladvisor

 

[Monarch Butterfly]

The fine for blocking a sidewalk with your motor vehicle in Toronto is $150+.

On my street, cars are parked in their driveways, but sticking out partially onto the sidewalk. Then they wonder why the city does not plow their sidewalk.

I wonder if that "blocking the sidewalk" bylaw is enforced and do they get ticketed? Especially, during a snow event like we have had. Makes sidewalk plowing very difficult.

 

[picard102]

They should just tow them and then plow.

 

[nightstreak]

The fine for blocking a sidewalk with your motor vehicle in Toronto is $150+.

On my street, cars are parked in their driveways, but sticking out partially onto the sidewalk. Then they wonder why the city does not plow their sidewalk.

View attachment 711327

I wonder if that "blocking the sidewalk" bylaw is enforced and do they get ticketed? Especially, during a snow event like we have had.

 

[Towered]

To my eyes, snow clearing seems more robust than it was under Tory.

 

[nightstreak]

To my eyes, snow clearing seems more robust than it was under Tory.

100% There was a massive mountain of snow on the evening of the storm. I was the only schmuck at the office late at night on a Sunday, wading through snow up to my waist on my way home. Snow plows were out in full force. By the morning when again everyone called in a snow day, I made my way downtown and much of it was gone. In Tory days, that snow would have been there at least until the end of the week.

 

[PinkLucy]

I have been so frustrated reading people here and elsewhere complain about snow removal. It was a record setting amount, and it’s a lot to deal with. Things don’t magically go back to normal the second the snow stops. It takes a lot of time and human power to clear roads, sidewalks, paths and bike lanes. It takes even longer to move that snow somewhere else … not always an easy feat in a dense urban area.

Sometimes Mother Nature throws a wallop, and despite our best efforts, it takes time. It’s winter. There will be inconveniences.

 

[Richard White]

I have been so frustrated reading people here and elsewhere complain about snow removal. It was a record setting amount, and it’s a lot to deal with. Things don’t magically go back to normal the second the snow stops. It takes a lot of time and human power to clear roads, sidewalks, paths and bike lanes. It takes even longer to move that snow somewhere else … not always an easy feat in a dense urban area.

Sometimes Mother Nature throws a wallop, and despite our best efforts, it takes time. It’s winter. There will be inconveniences.

Yep!

What annoys me the most are the people who refuse to shovel the sidewalks outside their house.

Even today, walking down Donlands was a mess because nobody bothered to shovel. Not sure if it's Laziness or what but most people just shovel out a path to their car now

 

[picard102]

To my eyes, snow clearing seems more robust than it was under Tory.

I don't recall the snow removal being any less effective during the 2022 snowstorm.

The snow removal contracts haven't changed since Tory either. So not sure what would have change.

 

[Northern Light]

I don't recall the snow removal being any less effective during the 2022 snowstorm.

The snow removal contracts haven't changed since Tory either. So not sure what would have change.

A lot.

The staff involved have been changed.

The amount of equipment available has been improved, significantly.

There are redeployable City staff (100 or so have now shifted temporarily to help with snow clearing).

Tracking of equipment/efforts has been enhanced. (more accurate, more frequent)

311 is now taking real-time work orders/requests for snow clearing.

Mechanics are now more available and field deployable to keep equipment working/get it moving again ASAP.

 

[adma]

I have been so frustrated reading people here and elsewhere complain about snow removal. It was a record setting amount, and it’s a lot to deal with. Things don’t magically go back to normal the second the snow stops. It takes a lot of time and human power to clear roads, sidewalks, paths and bike lanes. It takes even longer to move that snow somewhere else … not always an easy feat in a dense urban area.

Sometimes Mother Nature throws a wallop, and despite our best efforts, it takes time. It’s winter. There will be inconveniences.

And indeed, compared to the so-called horror stories of "historical" Toronto blizzards like 1944, the way Toronto's endured this one seems rather..."workmanlike".

 

[evandyk]

They've also significantly enhanced sidewalk plowing since 2022, which you might not notice if you drive everywhere, but is pretty important for people with wheelchairs and strollers.

Sadly, clearing of TTC stops remains an abject failure. The King streetcar stops, some of the busiest transit spots in the country, are snowed in with 2 foot windrows that people have packed down narrow paths through