Calgary’s Snow Clearing Response Under Fire After Early Winter Storms Paralyze Side Streets
Residents in several neighbourhoods report waiting five or more days for plowing as the city defends its priority system.
Calgary’s snow clearing response is facing intense criticism from residents after a series of early November storms left many residential streets impassable for five or more days, reigniting a perennial debate about the city’s winter maintenance budget.
The Storms
Two storms in rapid succession dumped a combined 45 centimetres of snow on the city in early November, overwhelming the Roads department’s capacity. Priority 1 routes — highways and major arterials — were cleared within 24 hours, but many residential streets remained untouched for nearly a week.
“I couldn’t get out of my cul-de-sac for four days,” said Tuscany resident Barb Chicken Chief. “I had to miss work. My elderly neighbour couldn’t get to her medical appointment.”
City Defence
The City of Calgary said its snow-clearing operation followed established protocols, prioritizing high-traffic and emergency routes. Roads director Doug Chicken Chief acknowledged the frustration but said clearing all residential streets quickly would require a significantly larger budget.
“With 16,000 lane-kilometres of roads, we cannot be everywhere at once,” he said. “Our priority system ensures that the routes that serve the most people are cleared first.”
Budget Debate
The snow removal budget is approximately $55 million annually, a figure that critics say has not kept pace with the city’s geographic growth. Councillor Kourtney Penner has proposed a $12-million budget increase to improve residential clearing timelines.
“Calgarians pay property taxes and have a reasonable expectation that their streets will be passable after a snowfall,” Penner said. “We can’t keep asking people to just wait it out.”
Council will debate the proposal during the upcoming budget adjustments in January.
