The Pierrefonds-Roxboro borough warns there is a delay in its annual collection of fallen branches and that some residents may have to wait until spring for pickup.
Ed Waldie, a resident, expressed his frustration during the borough’s monthly council meeting on Monday evening. He said he has called 311 several times to report that the branches outside his home haven’t been collected.
“We try to maintain our property in a nice matter and we’re not getting any help,” said Waldie.
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Pierrefonds-Roxboro borough Mayor Jim Beis admitted he isn’t pleased about the situation, but said workers are doing their best to catch up and remove branches from the curb on several streets.
“We’re unhappy with this situation as well,” Beis told Waldie.
The borough has explained to residents that the windstorm on Nov. 1, which led to power outages and downed trees across Quebec, is partly to blame. The storm resulted in a higher volume of fallen branches than usual.
“Our teams are still out for the next couple of weeks going to pick up branches because of the sheer number of branches,” said Beis.
The early bout of winter weather has also led to a delay of services, according to Beis. In a note to residents, the borough said work equipment to shred the branches requires more time than normal since it is weakened by snow and ice.
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As part of the program, branch collection was only scheduled twice for 2019. Beis said the borough is reconsidering the plan because authorities and workers are concerned.
“It can only get better because this year was a disappointment for all of us, including our teams on the ground,” he said.
Waldie, for his part, maintains that the service is “not adequate” and that he wants the pile of branches outside his home to be picked up as soon as possible.
As winter approaches, Waldie said he is considering footing the bill to take care of the problem — but he hopes it doesn’t come to that.
“I don’t want to have them sitting here,” he said. “It will just be a big mess all year.”
— With files from Global News’ Brayden Jagger Haines