Half of snow clearing budget already spent in CBRM

The Cape Breton Regional Municipality has already spent half of its annual snow-clearing budget.

With three months of winter still to go, the condition of many of the roads and sidewalks is already causing concern.

Cape Breton has been walloped with half a dozen storms already — many of them back to back.

Temperatures warming up and then quickly freezing have created many rutty, ice-covered and bumpy roads.

Though many of the major routes have been cleared to bare pavement, many of the side streets and sidewalks remain ice covered.

Pat MacKinnon said he's frustrated.

“I'm a senior and my only form of transportation is walking,” he said. “Now the kids are going back to school on Monday, who's gonna be responsible for them? I'm upset. I've been there 30 years, I've never seen it this bad. Never.”

For those trying to get their dogs out for a walk, it's a challenge.

“It's a bit of a task, you have to pick your streets and that — which ones you go on. So you have to walk mostly on the streets, there's very few sidewalks [clear],” said Wilson Eavis.

The CBRM said the ice-packed streets may be here to stay for the winter, as they don't have enough equipment to scrape them.

Mail carriers need to brave all conditions, but Grace Arsenault said the ice and snow along her route are adding about two hours to her day.

“It's tough, it's really tough and the lack of sidewalks make it so much harder,” she said.

“It takes time and I have my cleats on which makes it a little bit better — it makes it doable anyway. But if you went out without your cleats, you couldn't do it. A lot of sidewalks, the driveways are icy, a lot of steps, well, they're tricky.”

Others say it's winter and people just have to deal with the road conditions.

“The main roads are okay, the 125 is good, the Route 22 to Louisbourg is good. You know, you just have to be careful. The side roads are terrible, but hey, it's winter, it's winter in Cape Breton,” said Jim Chisholm.

The CBRM said it may need another $1 to $2 million for snow removal. No word yet on where that money will come from.