‘It could be longer’: Montreal snow crews will need over a week to clear piles

Snow clearing and removal operations are continuing throughout Montreal after the record-breaking snowfall. (CTV News)

Massive snow piles, blocked sidewalks, and buried cars will remain part of the Montreal cityscape for over a week, as crews work to remove the record levels of snow that fell on the metropolis.

City spokesperson Philippe Sabourin said on Tuesday that crews are around six per cent done removing snow from streets and sidewalks after 75 centimetres of snow fell in two storms over four days.

“It’s too soon to say how long it’s going to take,” he said, repeating that it will take a minimum of eight days for the streets to be clear.

“It could be longer,” he said.

Sidewalks remain congested throughout the city as piles of snow on the sides of roads are too high for the smaller sidewalk shovels to manoeuvre down, Sabourin said.

They will only be cleared once the snow on the sides of roads is removed with snow blowers.

“If you have a sidewalk being closed, it’s going to stay that way for a few days,” he said, asking residents to shovel walkways if they are able to, particularly if neighbours have mobility issues or are elderly.

Three times as long

Sabourin said crews need to pass three times for areas that would typically take one pass due to the amount of snow that fell.

The 45-foot loaders take about a minute to fill, and they are everywhere.

For this reason, the city is asking residents to stay home as much as possible.

Urgences-Santé added that the mix of weather conditions and high volume of incoming calls has put pressure on emergency responder teams.

“Please consult 811 for minor health questions and call 911 only in case of a life-threatening emergency,” Urgences-Santé said on X.

Collaboration is needed

The city is asking those who can work from home to do so and to avoid driving throughout the city.

Students were back in classes on Tuesday after getting a snow day on Monday though most are being lenient with punctuality.

“We understand that it’s not normal times, kids will be late,” said English Montreal School Board (EMSB) spokesperson Mike Cohen. “They won’t be punished for that. The buses are going to be late.”

Parents are asked to walk with their children to and from school if possible for safety.

“Don’t have kids waiting alone at the bus stop,” said Cohen. “Tell your kids if there’s a snowbank, don’t go on it. There are a lot of tractors and machines that are taking the snow away.”

A list of precautions posted on the EMSB’s Facebook page prompted some parents to question whether schools should be opened at all.

“We can’t just stop schooling indefinitely until the streets are cleared, so we decided that, all Montreal boards, that it was the right thing to do to keep the schools open, but again, to send those reminders,” said Cohen.

Montreal police will be out in force, particularly in school zones.

Waste pickup (garbage, recycling or compost) has been suspended until at least the beginning of next week.

Crews are asking residents who see garbage bags on top of the snow to remove them, so frozen bags don’t potentially damage snow removal equipment.

“We have to be collaborative in the coming days,” said Sabourin.

“We’re facing a major situation and we’re asking for the collaboration of everyone. Move your car when there’s a no-parking sign. Keep your garbage for the next pickup next week and slow down your speed if you don’t have a choice but to navigate with your car.”

Slower response for emergency services

With blowing snow, black ice, and reduced lanes, drivers across Montreal are facing it all. For bus operators, these conditions mean constant delays.

“We’re continuously running late, day after day,” said Frédéric Therrien, president of the Société de transport de Montréal (STM) bus drivers' union.

When buses run behind schedule, so do commuters, said Therrien, who believes the City’s snow removal strategy is making things even worse.

“We can see that Montreal’s priority isn’t to clear reserved lanes, like the ones for buses and taxis,” he said.

Without cleared bus lanes, public transit slows down even further, he added.

Across Montreal, it’s not just drivers who are struggling; paramedics are also feeling the impact of Montreal’s snow-covered streets and sidewalks.

“Even if the snow has stopped falling, there’s still heavy accumulation, which makes their job a lot more complicated,” said Jean-Pierre Rouleau, spokesperson for Urgences-Santé.

Blocked sidewalks mean paramedics take longer to reach patients, especially when carrying heavy equipment like stretchers, explained Rouleau.

On top of challenges to navigate the road and sidewalk, Rouleau said back-to-back snowstorms have led to a sharp increase in emergency calls.

“This morning alone, we received an average of 70 calls an hour—many for snow-related incidents,” he added.

Meanwhile, snow-packed sidewalks are also pushing pedestrians into the streets, creating additional hazards for drivers, warns Therrien.

“It’s the same story, the same issues—year after year,” he said.

Although Therrien wants immediate action to address the problem, City officials say the current volume of snow is too much for plows to handle.

For now, Montrealers will have to brace for more inconveniences until the city can finally dig out.

With files from CTV News Montreal’s Matt Gilmour