{"id":410578,"date":"2026-01-15T09:14:17","date_gmt":"2026-01-15T09:14:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/410578\/"},"modified":"2026-01-15T09:14:17","modified_gmt":"2026-01-15T09:14:17","slug":"edmonton-snow-clearing-raises-mobility-concerns-as-mayor-recognizes-change-is-needed-edmonton","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/410578\/","title":{"rendered":"Edmonton snow-clearing raises mobility concerns as mayor recognizes change is needed – Edmonton"},"content":{"rendered":"

As Edmonton\u2019s massive holiday snowfall continues to melt amid a week of above-freezing temperatures, the aftermath is creating new challenges \u2014 especially for people with mobility issues.<\/p>\n

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Deeply rutted roads, pooled water and ice are making it difficult, and in some cases impossible, for some Edmonton<\/a> residents leave their homes.<\/p>\n

Linda Carlyle is one of them. While she would normally be out every day, she now carefully plans even essential trips.<\/p>\n

\u201cI start worrying the night before because I\u2019m unsure if I\u2019m going to get through the snow and the water \u2014 it\u2019s very slippery,\u201d Carlyle said.<\/p>\n

As the snow softens and freezes repeatedly, ruts and puddles have become hazardous for drivers and pedestrians alike.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s quite dangerous,\u201d Carlyle added.<\/p>\n

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Accessibility advocates say the conditions pose an even greater risk for seniors and people with disabilities.<\/p>\n

Zachary Weeks, a disability advocate, says he has heard from many people who feel isolated and trapped in their homes. He describes the situation as dehumanizing.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you have things that should be an impediment to getting out and about \u2014 getting groceries or going to medical appointments \u2014 it\u2019s a different level,\u201d Weeks said.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMelting snow leaves some Edmonton residents with mobility issues stuck at home\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

Weeks says his wheelchair and accessible van often get stuck every time he leaves home, turning a routine outing into a safety concern.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is an issue that people with disabilities and seniors are fed up with,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The problems have also affected those who rely on dedicated accessible transit. In one case, an Edmonton Transit Service DATS bus was seen stuck near a seniors\u2019 residence. Hours later, a school bus became stuck in the same area.<\/p>\n

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Kelsie Blain, who lives nearby, said the situation highlights how difficult winter conditions can be for people with limited mobility.<\/p>\n

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\u201cIn their case, it makes it so difficult to get around or do anything like that,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

The accessibility challenges come as Edmonton\u2019s mayor acknowledges broader shortcomings in the city\u2019s snow-clearing approach.<\/p>\n

Mayor Andrew Knack says this winter\u2019s unusually large snowfall has exposed gaps in the city\u2019s removal strategy \u2014 and shows funding has not kept pace with Edmonton\u2019s growth.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think it was increasing to the level that we need it to, especially considering how much our city has actually grown in size,\u201d Knack said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think anyone would say, especially on the local roads, that the service levels for local roads is good enough.\u201d<\/p>\n

The mayor says the city is considering changes, including reintroducing calcium chloride to help melt snow and ice, and reinstating towing enforcement for vehicles not moved during parking bans.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople might not want us to say the words, but things like not using calcium chloride when almost every other city uses it, these are things that we have limited ourselves, \u201cKnack said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe haven\u2019t had our budget keep up with the growth of our city.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t8:41
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tEdmonton mayor joins Global News Morning to talk about snow removal\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

However, those changes would come at a significant cost.<\/p>\n

Right now in neighbourhoods, the snowpack is bladed to a level five centimetres, not cleared to pavement, and the snow is not hauled away. City estimates suggest windrow collection in residential areas could cost nearly $50 million.<\/p>\n

As well, adding six new plows would cost about $1 million per year to operate, plus initial purchase costs. Increased enforcement and towing could add another $1 million annually.<\/p>\n

A new City of Edmonton service yard is opening in the southwest, Knack said, which should help some of the suburbs. Right now, the yards are more centrally located.<\/p>\n

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\u201cBefore they even begin doing their work, they\u2019re probably driving 30 to 45 minutes to be able to start,\u201d Knack said of operators assigned to snow operations in newer areas like outside Anthony Henday Drive.<\/p>\n

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\u201cEven though we have two 12-hour shifts now, and crews work 24 hours a day, you\u2019re still losing time even in the transportation. We need to have maintenance yards in the areas where they are doing that maintenance work, so that they can start their shift within five minutes of driving off the lot.\u201d<\/p>\n

Former city councillor Jon Dziadyk says Edmonton needs to rethink how it prioritizes snow clearing.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey shouldn\u2019t do all arterial roads to completion while ignoring all other categories of roads,\u201d Dziadyk said.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tLots of Edmonton drivers stuck in the snow as residential blading continues\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

Other municipalities surrounding Edmonton are taking different approaches.<\/p>\n

In St. Albert, crews cleared residential streets and major roadways at the same time by bringing in additional hired equipment, such as graders and skid steers, allowing city crews to stay focused on arterial and collector routes.<\/p>\n

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While there are lessons to be learned from the city\u2019s bedroom communities, Knack said a more relevant comparison comes from looking at how other major cities like Ottawa and Montreal manage snow removal.<\/p>\n

\u201cA city like Ottawa, which spends about $30 million more a year than the city of Edmonton, and they have a smaller roadway network \u2014 it\u2019s no surprise a city like that is able to remove snow off the streets in a much shorter amount of time than takes us to do blading,\u201d Knack said.<\/p>\n

\u201cMontreal, which has probably the largest snow removal budget in the entire country, again, with a much smaller roadway network than we do.\u201d<\/p>\n

Knack says it ultimately comes down to priorities determined during budget talks.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is very much a base-budget funding issue, and this is why we have to talk about how we make sure we increase that base.\u201d<\/p>\n

Those discussions are expected to be part of Edmonton\u2019s upcoming four-year budget deliberations this spring.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have not been budgeting appropriately for what should be one of the most critical services in the city of Edmonton,\u201d Knack said.<\/p>\n

The debate could become one of council\u2019s first major tests as councillors weigh the rising cost of snow-clearing against pressure to not increase taxes.<\/p>\n

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In the meantime, residents like Carlyle say they\u2019re left struggling day to day.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wish that when the city plows, they would take the snow with them,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u2014with files from Sarak Komadina and Katherine Ludwig, Global News<\/p>\n

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