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Officials in Winnipeg, including the mayor and a city councillor, are advocating for the removal of a contentious proposal from the current municipal budget that pertains to snow clearing practices. This proposed pilot initiative aimed to alter the snow accumulation threshold for residential snow removal from 10 centimeters to 15 centimeters, affecting how and when snow clearing occurs on city streets.
Mayor Scott Gillingham expressed his commitment to supporting a motion introduced by Councillor Janice Lukes, who represents Waverley West, during a public works budget meeting. Gillingham emphasized the importance of existing snow-clearing standards, reflecting feedback from residents across the city. “We’ve heard loud and clear from Winnipeggers that maintaining our current snow-clearing standards is important,” he stated. “While the pilot was intended to explore potential efficiencies, it’s clear it does not align with the needs of our residents, so we’ll make that change.”
Councillor Lukes, who chairs the public works committee, recognized Winnipeg as a frontrunner in snow removal practices and underscored the city’s ongoing commitment to enhancing its operations without compromising service quality. “Our city has one of the most comprehensive snow and ice control programs in North America,” she remarked, highlighting the extensive measures taken to ensure safety and accessibility. The program includes clearing of residential streets, main roads, sidewalks, pathways for active transportation, back lanes, and even managing snow buildup in residential driveways.
Lukes noted the significant efforts put into snow removal, mentioning that each year Winnipeg removes approximately 1.7 million cubic meters of snow, which speaks to the high expectations of its residents. The public works budget session, where discussions about this initiative will take place, is scheduled for Thursday morning.
Source
globalnews.ca