{"id":59854,"date":"2019-02-09T11:24:18","date_gmt":"2019-02-09T16:24:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/spacing.ca\/toronto\/?p=59854"},"modified":"2019-02-09T11:24:18","modified_gmt":"2019-02-09T16:24:18","slug":"reid-yes-the-city-could-plow-local-sidewalks-in-the-old-city","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/spacing.ca\/toronto\/2019\/02\/09\/reid-yes-the-city-could-plow-local-sidewalks-in-the-old-city\/","title":{"rendered":"REID: Yes, the City could plow local sidewalks in the old city"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Dylan<\/a><\/p>\n

The City of Toronto plows snow from local sidewalks in most of the city<\/a>, but not in a “no-plow” zone<\/a> that encompasses the oldest and most densely populated parts of the city. In these areas, the City now plows main street sidewalks, but not local\/residential street sidewalks (instead property owners are required to shovel snow themselves, although this is rarely enforced<\/a>). It’s a gap that creates significant problems<\/a> (PDF) for safety and accessibility for pedestrians, especially seniors and those with disabilities, and,\u00a0as a recent Toronto Public Health report detailed<\/a> (PDF), results in many injuries from slips and falls — and resulting costs to the City from insurance claims.<\/p>\n

So Mayor John Tory’s recent letter to the City of Toronto’s General Manager of Transportation Services, Barbara Gray<\/a>, asking staff to figure out how the City can start plowing the 1,100 km of sidewalks<\/a> (PDF) that don’t currently enjoy this service, is welcome.<\/p>\n

The last time City Council asked for a review of this service, Transportation Services came back with the argument that they couldn’t plow these sidewalks mechanically, and made the claim that they would need to clear it all by hand, requiring 360 gangs of day labourers at at cost of $9.900,000 a year<\/a> (PDF, p. 5).<\/p>\n

The reasons<\/a> (PDF, p. 6) Transportation Services gives for saying they can’t clear these sidewalks mechanically boil down to the following:<\/p>\n