snow's coming

New snow policy

Sep 9, 2019 | 9:00 PM

PRINCE GEORGE – Council has approved a new snow removal and ice control policy, which makes some subtle changes to the existing procedure for clearing roads. The policy still identifies arterial and collector routes as the number one and two priorities for snow clearing, even though there was plenty of discussion around residential snow removal.

“There can be an argument that there is no point to continually clearing Priority One and Two routes if no one can get to them,” stated Mayor Lyn Hall.

However Gina Layte-Liston, the Director of Engineering and Public noted that there were only two occasions last year in which the entire city has needed more time, seven days on one occasion and five days in the other.

There were also questions about doing the work in-house as opposed to contracting out.

“We’ve had major pressures finding operators who can work all winter long,” noted Layte-Liston.

Councillor Brian Skakun had several questions around whether the new policy would have adverse effects on the snow removal but, but as told it would.

But it was also noted the matter of snow removal and all operating budgets will be hashed out at a Finance and Audit Committee meeting in early December. And as Mayor Hall pointed out, the policy will be put to the test in a very short period of time.