Montreal begins snow-removal operations this morning

Montreal's first full-scale snow-removal operation of the season got underway at 7 a.m. today and should last about four days.

The city is deploying 2,200 vehicles and 3,000 employees to tackle the 13 centimetres of snow that's fallen so far this week, said Montreal spokesperson Philippe Sabourin.

Crews will start with major arteries, sidewalks, public transit routes, and roads around hospitals and schools.

To ease efforts, the city says people need to help by respecting the temporary no-parking signs. Vehicles parked in snow-clearing zones will be towed, and towing operations slow down the process of clearing thousands of kilometres of streets and sidewalks in all 19 boroughs.

The city tows as many as 8,000 cars per four-day snow-removal operation, said Sabourin, and drivers are fined about $150 for every vehicle towed.

Montreal sidewalks have been icy for weeks, and although conditions are improving, Sabourin said the snow-removal operations should help break up spots where thick ice remains.

"When we're doing the snow-removal operations, we are scraping the sidewalks and the streets at the same time," he said. "With the blower and scraper, I think we will get rid of the last of the icy sidewalks."

Do more, says opposition

Coun. Lionel Perez, the leader of Montreal's official opposition, says Mayor Valérie Plante's administration is being too cheap when it comes to snow removal. 

"Since the beginning of the winter, we have seen a mismanagement on the part of the Plante administration," said Perez, citing the two early snowfalls in November that the city ignored.

"They continue to want to use Mother Nature as a method of doing snow removal, and we think that really puts into question public safety."

The icy sidewalks have forced some people to stay indoors, he said, adding that there were similar issues last winter.

However, Plante says the city is well-prepared this time around.

"We are ready for this operation, and we want it to be completed before the cold temperatures announced over the weekend," the mayor said in a statement.

"I invite pedestrians, cyclists and motorists to be cautious and plan their movements to facilitate the smooth running of operations. Everyone has a role to play."

INFO-Neige MTL, free parking

The city's app, INFO-Neige MTL, provides updates on snow-removal operations.

The app, which had nearly 273,000 users last winter, notifies residents about parking restrictions and tells them where they can park overnight for free. 

The city offers more than 2,000 free parking spots in certain lots between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m.

Go to the city's website or the app to find them.

New this year — the city's Resident Services app now allows Montrealers to flag issues such as poorly cleared sidewalks or slippery roads, Sabourin said, and the city will follow up on the report.

Forecast calls for flurries, cold

Environment Canada estimates two to four centimetres of new snow will fall Wednesday with temperatures steady near zero and a low of -3 C. 

Thursday will be cloudy with a high of  4 C and a low of  –14 C.  

Friday will be sunny with a high of -10 and a low of -17.

Over the weekend, the agency is forecasting a high of –11 on both days with a 60 per cent chance of flurries and an overnight low of –14.

Snow removal by the numbers

Montreal has approximately 6,000 kilometres of sidewalks and 4,000 kilometres of streets, Sabourin said. 

Generally, for daytime operations between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., signs go up by 8 p.m. the evening before.

For nighttime operations, 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., no-parking signs go up by 3 p.m. on the same day.

On average, the city spreads 140,000 tonnes of salt and abrasives each winter and totes 300,000 truckloads of snow to dump sites.

Meltwater from disposal sites is then recovered and treated to remove pollutants.