As the weather in Toronto grows milder this week, snow piles from back-to-back winter storms have continued to line the city’s streets — and Mayor Olivia Chow is sick of it.
On Tuesday, a visibly frustrated Chow pledged an all hands on deck approach to clear the remaining snow as the city continues to struggle with the lingering effects of the storms.
Chow promised Torontonians answers on why the city’s snow removal response was so slow. She pointed a finger at the city’s staff and contractors, who she said would be held accountable, including through potentially breaking contracts.
“I’m done. This is just not acceptable,” Chow said at a press conference.
She tasked city manager Paul Johnson with reviewing what went wrong and figuring out how to “immediately optimize” the city’s snow removal resources.
Possible improvements include deploying more staff and city-owned snow removal equipment, even though most work is done by private companies.
Toronto’s John Tory-era snow removal contracts
Johnson and city lawyers will also probe whether the city can renegotiate or cancel the private-sector snow-clearing contracts approved by council in 2021.
Currently, the $1.5-billion in third-party contracts are slated to run until 2029.
Chow on Monday called the contracts “very controversial,” a sentiment echoed by other councillors in recent days.
In June 2023, the city’s auditor general found the process that awarded those contracts was rushed and the winning bidders had much less experience than other companies that had conducted Toronto’s snow-removal work in the past.
City staff also lowered the fine for contractors providing shoddy service to $10 per minute, a steep drop from the former $200 per minute.
Coun. Paul Ainslie (Scarborough-Guildwood), who sat on council in 2021 and voted to send the contracts back for more due diligence, said he had issues from the jump.
“I did a lot of research,” he said during Tuesday’s press conference. “The thing I heard loud and clear from everybody I talked to was the contract that we were going to award … was not going to work for our residents.”
Though former mayor John Tory was in charge when the contracts were signed, Chow did not directly assign blame.
“Some people like to point fingers. Let us fix the problem,” she argued.
‘Plowing the sidewalks doesn't necessarily leave them clear’
The contractors aren’t the only people in the mayor’s crosshairs.
Chow said she was given assurances by city staff that all of Toronto’s sidewalks had been cleared, even though many remained covered in snow.
“Last week, I was repeatedly told that 100 per cent of the sidewalks had been plowed. I was told that this morning … I'm sorry, it is not true,” she said.
Chow said Barbara Gray, director of the city’s transportation department, gave her that information. However, the mayor didn’t specify any potential consequences and said the buck stops with her.
“Ultimately, myself as the mayor is responsible,” she said.
Later on Tuesday, Gray stood by the 100 per cent comment but clarified what she meant.
Gray said all the sidewalks had been plowed at least once, which is different from the sidewalks being cleared.
“Plowing the sidewalks doesn't necessarily leave them clear,” the transportation official said, adding that snow can still pile up on sidewalks after an initial plowing.
Chow also asked the auditor general to examine what went wrong this month after 50 centimetres of snow fell over 10 days.
Her request includes looking at the contracts and assessing whether the city’s efforts were up to snuff. Chow wants the auditor to determine whether the city’s sidewalk plow fleet is properly maintained and can actually remove enough snow in the event of another major storm.
Council’s executive committee will discuss the snow scandals at next month’s meeting.
TTC board also pledges action
While Chow’s Tuesday comments focused on the City of Toronto’s snow removal efforts, on Monday the TTC board voted to revamp its winter plans after the transit system ground to a halt.
“Over the weekend, transit riders experienced a number of major disruptions to TTC service due to the extreme snow conditions. While some disruptions are to be expected, there are many ways that the TTC can improve its preparedness,” read a motion from Coun. Josh Matlow and TTC board chair Coun. Jamaal Myers.
Interim TTC CEO Greg Percy admitted the agency needs to “do something different” to get the system moving, such as increasing the $200 fine for cars blocking snow routes and impeding streetcars.
The plan, which is due back in a few months, will also provide recommendations on improving snow clearing at transit stops and shielding portions of the subway system that are vulnerable to blowing snow.
“The light, fluffy snow that blows around … it gets in places you can’t imagine and that’s what causes the problem,” Percy said.
