Item - 2021.TE22.15

The Toronto and East York Community Council:

1. Requested the General Manager, Transportation Services, to prepare a budget briefing note to the Budget Committee assessing the cost of providing harmonized snow clearing for the entire City of Toronto for the 2021/2022 winter season for consideration during the 2021 budget process, including an equity lens.

2. Directed the Director, Operations and Maintenance, Transportation Services to re-consider the pilot project and trial area of snow clearing for 2021 to include Ward 13, Ward 10 and any other downtown neighbourhoods not included, and to report back in spring 2021 on the operational and financial considerations that would be required to expand mechanical and manual plowing on sidewalks, multi-use trails and park pathways to meet the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act on a permanent basis in the future. 

3.  Requested the General Manager, Transportation Services, in consultation with the Chief Purchasing Officer, to report back to its meeting on February 24, 2021, on approaches to accelerate the procurement process for mechanical snow clearing equipment, sufficient to clear snow on residential streets to the same standards across the city, to be procured in time for the 2021/2022 winter season.

The purpose of this report is to provide information requested by City Council regarding the streets that will receive sidewalk snow clearing during the 2020-2021 winter season and a path forward for a full harmonization of the 2021-2022 winter season.

Transportation Services mechanically clears snow from sidewalks in most areas of the City, with the exception of areas where a snow plow is unable to navigate the space to physically clear the snow. The City has about 7,029 km of sidewalks and the City mechanically clears approximately 5,785 km (about 82%) of these sidewalks.

In February 2020, Transportation Services began testing eight new pieces of equipment in selected areas across the city where existing contractor’s sidewalk plows cannot operate. The trial will continue throughout this upcoming winter season with an additional machine (bringing the total to nine sidewalk plows) that will operate along 230 km of sidewalks that have not previously had mechanical sidewalk snow clearing services. The sidewalks included in the trial were selected by prioritizing locations that serve the seniors and residents with disabilities program. Staff will use information from the trial and report back in spring 2021 on the operational and financial considerations that would be required to expand mechanical sidewalk plowing on a permanent basis in the future.

Other winter maintenance enhancements this winter season will include expanded multi-purpose trail snow and ice clearance in collaboration with Parks, Forestry and Recreation; enhanced inspections, on a complaint basis, to address locations where sidewalks are not cleared by the adjacent property owner within the time specified in the bylaw; and, continuance of the education campaign launched in 2019.