City of Regina proposing new snow clearing methods ahead of winter

As Regina prepares for winter snow in a few weeks, the city is looking at how to improve their snow removal services, but it comes with a cost.

At Wednesday’s executive committee meeting, a secondary snow storage site was outlined, as well as improvements to managing snow volume in the city’s residential streets.

City officials said the winter maintenance operating budget will need an increase of $1.88 million just to maintain the current levels of service.

The 2023 winter road maintenance budget was $8.55 million, but the year-to-date expenditures already have exceeded that. The city expects a cost of $12.94 million for 2023, based on a five-year average.

“I think residents want council to be responsible with the budgeting process,” ward one councillor Cheryl Stadnichuk said. “There is a proposal to have an increase in the 2024 budget of $1.8 million, so that is going to be coming forward. Whether or not there’s going to be any additional motions for increased budget, we’ll wait and see if that’s going to happen at budget discussions.”

According to the winter road maintenance review, the cost of stacking, storing and managing the increase in snow volumes is becoming too high. As a potential solution, the city is proposing an acquisition of land to create a second storage spot on the south or west side of the city.

Administration has submitted a business case for consideration in the 2024 to 2028 budget process to acquire the land and build the second snow storage site starting in 2027. The total cost of the secondary site is expected to be at least $9.2 million.

According to the report, 35,000 trucks visited the current storage site last year and hauled in more than 900,000 cubic metres of snow.

The review said seven storms in the city last winter resulted in six major plowing events. In total, 3,438 kilometres of roads, 2,760 km of alleys and 1,722 km of sidewalks were plowed.

Chris Warren, the Regina Roadways and Transportation director said one of the most pressing winter concerns he has heard from residents, is when snow is removed, ridges are left on sidewalks.

In terms of reducing snow ridges in front of homes and businesses, more initiatives are being looked at and the associated cost.

“During any residential plows that we might do in the future, we’re looking to take a little bit of a different approach in some of those neighbourhoods and plowing the surface,” Warren said. “Plowing the snow in a way that creates accessibility and in a smooth driving service while also minimizing the snow ridge.”

The most expensive initiative being considered for the city, for $10 million, is to remove snow ridges in residential areas. Snow clearing for all sidewalks would cost $4 million, and removing snow ridges around schools would cost $1.2 million.

The cheapest addition, for $670,000, is to remove snow ridges in high density neighbourhoods that rely on street parking.

If implemented, a trial would be conducted in the northwest part of the city, with crews clearing sidewalks alongside the team plowing roads to reduce ridges on sidewalks.