Even though Metro Vancouverites are basking in the sunshine now, residents are still on the hook for the cost of salt and sand used during one of the region’s worst winters in years.
As it turns out, it may not be worth its weight in gold, but it was worth $1.2-million, before taxes. That’s in comparison to just over $158,000 in 2015.
According to a Freedom of Information request filed by CKNW, that’s how much the City of Vancouver spent on salt and sand between Dec. 2016 and Jan. 10, 2017.
Although the city used almost three times more salt and sand than in 2015, it was shipping the material in from out of province that really pushed the cost up.
In one particular shipment, Vancouver paid 30 times more than usual to have the salt brought in from Alberta; so bringing the salt to Vancouver cost more than the salt itself, almost three times more to be exact.
But despite the efforts, 44 blocks were completely inaccessible to trash collection for a whole month, according to one January email written by City Manager Sadhu Johnston.
The email also says the city received approximately 4,000 complaints of uncleared sidewalks.
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But Vancouver wasn’t alone, the City of Burnaby also saw a significant jump in costs this winter, spending 14 times more on salt and sand than the year before.
The city bought more than 8,000 tonnes between December and the beginning of January compared to less than a 1,000 in 2015.
But the $1-million price tag also saw shipments come in from Saskatchewan and Alberta, unlike the year before where all salt came from B.C.
In 2015 the city spent just over $74,000.
In an email obtained by CKNW, city manager Lambert Chu told staff in January that the city was paying a premium to get more salt.
Another email, also from Chu, said the city was using private backhoes to help with snow clearing.
*A previous version of the story incorrectly said the city had used 16 times more salt and sand.
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