‘That’s part of living in Canada’: Kingston residents talk ice, snow removal

The last few weeks have been incredibly busy for snow removal crews across the region, trying to keep up with Old Man Winter.

Plows in Kingston have been out constantly, but are they living up to residents’ expectations that streets and sidewalks will be cleared in a timely manner?

Bill Linnen is the director of Public Works.

“I think so far this winter, even though the winter really didn’t hit us into January, I think we’ve responded pretty well to the storms that we’d had to deal with,” Linnen said.

WATCH: Kingston area deals with worst winter storm of the season

2:04 Kingston area deals with worst winter storm of the season

And some Kingston residents agree. Suzanne Becker says she thinks the city has done a great job in the last couple of weeks.

“When I’ve gotten up in the morning, Lauren Street, which is only a block long, has been done and they’ve done the sidewalks very quickly after the snow falls,” Becker said, “so it’s been easy for people to get along the sidewalks.”

David Bell says the city does an okay job for a smaller city, but points out there’s still room for improvement — like doing the sidewalks. He realizes there are priorities, though, and he can also relate to those doing the work.

“It’s often a thankless job and that’s it,” Bell said. “You know as soon as you finish shoveling your driveway, the guy who does the street, he’s going to come down and plow it again and you’re going to curse him, but that’s part of living in Canada.”

WATCH: Southern Ontario digging out after winter storm

1:44 Southern Ontario digging out after winter storm

Linnen says the city does have priorities, noting that a system is in place to respond to and fight a winter storm, and that can often conflict with expectations of the public. He says public works people are out there trying to do the best job they can while meeting high levels of service and keeping the roads and sidewalks safe.

Despite that, Kingston is already looking into eight formal slip-fall complaints so far this season.