Early October snowstorm cost $2.5 million to clean up: city

The Oct. 2 snowstorm that left Calgarians unexpectedly digging out, buses getting stuck and city crews scrambling to clear roads now has a price tag.

The city said it cost about $2.5 million to clean everything up, including an estimated $350,000 to bring in outside contractors from the city of Edmonton.

“The October snowfall was unprecedented,” said Michelle Moses, a communications analyst with the City of Calgary. “It was four months of snow on one day.”

Indeed, it was the snowiest October on record with 48.2 centimetres of snow. The old record was 47.5 centimetres of snow in October 1961, according to Environment Canada’s historical records.

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The city’s snow clearing budget was set at about $39 million for 2018, she said.

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“And there’s about $9 million left in that right now,” she said.

The city has about $12.5 million in reserve and Moses said as long as Calgary continues to have an average season, the budget should remain intact.

“We’ve switched over to winter operations, so we’re ready,” she said.

— With files from Global News’ Jodi Hughes