Toronto snow removal operations ready for another winter season

Toronto city officials say 1,500 personnel, 600 snow plows, 300 sidewalk plows and 200 salt trucks are ready to tackle snow removal this winter season.

“This is some of the most important work that people call upon the city to do,” Mayor John Tory told reporters during a news conference on winter preparedness at the city’s east-end operations centre Thursday morning.

“It’s important because it is necessary that people should be able to continue to move safely and effectively on our roads and sidewalks to get to where they need to get to so that business can carry on, notwithstanding sleet, or rain, or snow, or anything else Mother Nature may present to us.”

Officials say improved weather tracking technology and the use of GPS devices will help provide real-time information to snow removal crews.

“They now receive four detailed weather forecasts per day, but are also receiving more frequent updates and have available to them a meteorologist on a 24-hour basis,” Tory said.

WATCH: Toronto prepped and ready for winter roads

1:43 Toronto prepped and ready for winter roads

A priority network of bike lanes and cycle tracks in the downtown core has also been identified to receive enhanced winter maintenance, including snow plowing and salting to improve safety for cyclists.

The city has allotted $90 million in its budget for this year’s snow clearing efforts.

Officials say the cold weather and rapid swings between thaw and freezing temperatures can cause an increase in water main breaks, which the city is also prepared for.

“The city is currently spending $152 million to improve the water main distribution system and this includes replacing approximately 35 to 40 kilometres of water main pipes every year and rehabilitating more than 130 kilometres of such water main pipes,” Tory said.

Residents are urged to call 311 if they spot water main breaks as staff are able to respond to service calls 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The public can track salt truck locations and identify which roads have been serviced using the online tracking map at toronto.ca/PlowTO.