In about 15 hours’ time, the major storm that hit the Montréal area on Thursday December 27 resulted in an accumulation of some 45 cm of snow, along with strong winds, greatly reducing visibility and therefore affecting snow clearance operations along the streets of LaSalle. The snow loading operation, which began on Friday, December 28, was completed on Tuesday, January 8, having paused on Sundays, December 30 and January 6 as well as on Tuesday, January 1.
For this snow loading operation, LaSalle put all these employees to work—165 blue-collar workers plus management and technical support staff. The Borough has a fleet of 10 snowblowers, 17 sidewalk ploughs, 20 graders, 6 loaders, 3 salt trucks and 14 tow trucks. Up to 140 trucks passed through the snow disposal site. The total budget allocated to this operation should approach a million dollars.
A large-scale snow loading operation
The snow clearance operations following the storm on December 27 are one of the largest carried out over the past few years. Hard at work since the first few centimetres accumulated on the ground, the crews cleared the streets up until the evening hours. LaSalle then launched its snow removal operations, blowing the snow—wherever possible—directly along the Borough’s parks and green spaces.
On Friday, December 28, the crews started loading the snow onto trucks until late in the evening and continued doing so on Saturday. As street parking is allowed on both sides of the street on Sundays, the crews took a rest on December 30. Then on Monday, December 31, the operations were resumed; however, on Tuesday, January 1, in order to comply with Bill 430, stipulating maximum working hours and rest time for drivers of heavy vehicles, LaSalle’s blue-collar workers (who operate snowblowers, salt trucks, sidewalk ploughs, etc.) and independent truck drivers had to stop their work in order to take 36 hours of rest. After that, the Borough resumed its operations on Wednesday, January 2 and carried on every day after that (except Sunday), until Tuesday, January 8.
A number of factors made their work difficult, however:
• Alternate parking. Since the operations got under way on a Friday, the Borough had 4 days of snow loading quite close together, on the Monday-Wednesday-Friday side of the streets, and was able to complete its snow removal operations on that side on January 4; however, snow removal along the Tuesday-Thursday-Saturday side of the streets couldn’t be completed until Tuesday, January 8, because of the alternate parking regulations and pause of January 1.
• Private snow clearance contractors who failed to follow the rules. The amount of snow thoughtlessly pushed onto the street by private contractors and often even on the sidewalks as well slowed down the crews’ work, as the road became almost impassable for the graders and other equipment. Along many sidewalks, in fact, the Borough had to stop its clearing operations because of the mountains of snow created by contractors.
• Bill 430. In keeping with provincial legislation on maximum working hours and rest time for heavy vehicle drivers and out of their concern for the safety of both employees and residents alike, LaSalle’s blue-collar workers (who operate snowblowers, salt trucks, sidewalk ploughs, etc.) and the independent truckers had to halt their work on the evening of Monday, December 31 in order to take 36 hours of rest.
�� Snow clearance of driveways after the snowblower passed. Residents who clear their driveways after the snowblower has passed inevitably interfere with the Borough’s operations and give the impression that the snow has not been removed. Those piles of snow will no doubt remain until the next snow loading operation.
Too many towing operations
Residents absolutely must obey the no-parking restrictions. The need to tow offenders is another major cause of slowdowns in snow clearance operations. Not only does it cost you a lot for the crew that waits for the vehicle to be towed, but you will also have to pay the $92 ticket issued for such a towing operation.
The Service de police de la Ville de Montréal is reminding motorists that when parking their vehicle, regardless of the amount of snow on the street, they have the responsibility of making sure that their vehicle won’t interfere with passing emergency vehicles (police, firefighters, ambulance attendants) or snow clearance vehicles. Offenders run the risk of not only getting a ticket, but also of becoming a victim of a hit-and-run.
The Borough wishes to assure LaSalle residents that all its employees are doing their utmost to clear the arteries as quickly as possible, while complying with safety rules and the provisions of Bill 430. LaSalle moreover wishes to remind residents that each and every person has the responsibility of making it easier for snow removal workers to clear the streets and sidewalks by refraining from hindering the course of operations.