Let's be clear. Montrealers are tired see how their sidewalks are so little cleared of snow. Not to mention the extreme slowness and infrequency with which some areas spread abrasives when there is ice.
Magazine confirms this. In just two shifts, “the city has received 3,788 requests for snow removal since January 1.”is December, including 657 in the first five days of January.
Since most people don't bother reporting complaints to 311, these numbers are, no pun intended, really just the tip of the iceberg.
In December, after the election of new mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada, I listed among her goals the importance of ending “too frequent late and poor snow removal from several sidewalks in some areas, including Le Plateau-Mont-Royal.”
However, it is obvious that this has not yet been done.
Falls are increasing
As in past years, falls caused by sidewalks not cleared of snow and ice in a timely manner are clogging already overcrowded emergency departments.
By doing so, they are depriving Montrealers of all ages of opportunity for weeks, sometimes even months. This is unspeakably irresponsible on the part of elected officials.
While neighborhoods seem to have been cutting snow removal budgets for a long time, the new mayor needs to get involved. The health and safety of its citizens is at stake.
Impeccable bike paths
Montrealers are also tired of seeing how, at the slightest snowflake, bike paths are immediately cleared of snow. Not because they don't like bike paths, but because in winter, for the vast majority of the population, sidewalks are much more important.
However, sidewalks are cleared of snow and ice too rarely or too late. So much so that many end up becoming dangerous.
Since this is a health and safety issue, the mayor of all Montrealers must call the offending areas to order. And it's pressing.
