Snow clearing costs already piling up at Winnipeg City Hall

Cost of snow and ice clearing already piling up Winnipeg’s public works department is asking for an over expenditure of $23 million for snow and ice clearing. Jeff Keele explains.

Finance officials at Winnipeg City Hall are hoping mother nature is kind this winter, as the snow budget is already being pushed over its limit.

The public works department is requesting a $13.1 million over expenditure for costs up to June 30 this year.

The main culprit is a $9.8 million dollar overrun for snow and ice clearing . There is also $2.6 million earmarked for city beautification, and $1.4 million for pothole patching, which is offset by $819,000 in savings.

Public Works Committee Chair Janice Lukes said this is the price for living in a winter city.

"We're going to have to figure this out because we need to move in the city. We can't be sitting in snow banks,” she said.

“We need snow removal. I'm hoping the weather stays great."

She’s hoping the weather stays great because the department is also requesting an additional $9.9 million for snow clearing to the end of the year in case it is needed. The department said this is required to ensure contractors are paid in a timely manner.

‘It literally could go either way’

Environment and Climate Change Canada meteorologist Natalie Hasell says forecasts show dry conditions in the short term for southern Manitoba, but the longer term forecast is a coin toss.

"Looking at the precipitation question, we don't have a dominant trend,” she said.

“So in a sense, I don’t have a forecast for you. It literally could go either way."

The city has increased the snow budget in an attempt to curb these types of over expenditures, including improving sidewalk clearing. Still, the report said snowfall amounts might not be the real issue. Instead, the average cost of retendering 10 private snow clearing contracts in 2023 increased by 52 per cent over two years.

Finance Committee Chair Jeff Browaty says contract costs have exploded.

"I mean, the equipment has gotten more expensive. Labour has gotten more expensive, so there's been definitely challenges in the costs and the realities of the cost of snow clearing.”

The over expenditure requests are set to voted on at the finance committee next week.