Montreal’s Snow Removal Woes: Can ‘Mr. Snow Removal’ Deliver?
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A recent winter storm exposed critical shortcomings in Montreal’s snow removal infrastructure, raising questions about preparedness and leadership as the city grapples with the challenges of winter weather.
The expectation of a major snowstorm loomed over Montreal on Thursday morning, but the reality, while disruptive, fell short of a catastrophic event. still,the aftermath – buses stranded on icy roads along Côte De Lorimier near the Jacques-Cartier bridge,motorists losing control,and disruptions to the Réseau express métropolitain (REM) – revealed inadequate response.
A City Slow to React
The initial response from the City of Montreal was sluggish, with hours passing before order was restored. City officials, including new snow removal head Luis Miranda, had access to forecasts predicting challenging conditions. A spokesperson said teams deployed at dawn,but residents reported a lack of treatment.
enter ‘Mr. Snow Removal’
Luis miranda’s Reputation-Since 1997, Miranda, former mayor of Anjou, has prioritized swift snow clearing, consistently outperforming other boroughs. He once authorized operations without city approval, refusing a threatened bill, and criticized central city directives as perilous.
A Return to “Good Practices”?
current System-Snow removal operations are triggered after 10-15 centimeters of accumulation or worsening conditions. Boroughs can initiate “local” operations, with the central city deploying plows. Miranda now leads this process.
The Challenge-The current system is falling short. Mayor Martinez Ferrada and Miranda must translate his Anjou success citywide to better prepare for winter.
