Etobicoke’s winter windrow cleaning program is facing the chopping block due to budget cuts.
A plan to cancel a popular Etobicoke Winter Windrow Clearing Program due to budgetary cutbacks has angered many people.
The program, which is offered to more than 260,000 homeowners in Etobicoke, North York and Scarborough, will require residents to find other ways to clear the heavy snow at the end of their driveways.
Windrows are the large dunes of snow left behind by plows when they clear residential roads. The city currently clears them. But the city in its proposed budget said they will save $16 million by cutting the program.
A chop to the windrow clearing program will affect more than 260,000 residents and seniors will be affected the worst.
Etobicoke Ward 2 Councillor Stephen Holyday said the community has a large amount of seniors who depend on the service, otherwise their driveways will not be cleared.
The windrows are made up of compacted snow moved by snowplows from the road which is heavy to shovel and can lead to issues to people with heart problems.
“We have a lot of seniors and disabled people living in the community who depend on the service,” Holyday said. “They will be the most affected.”
The program if cut will mean emergency personnel will not be able to access homes due to mountain of compact snow on the tips of driveways.
He said ambulances or other personnel will not be able to get close to homes in emergencies due to a mountain of compacted, heavy snow at the tip of their driveways.
People in the suburbs have large driveways and require their vehicles to go to their doctors, or shopping or to the bank.
“A lot of suburban constituents are in favour of this program,” Holyday said. “Some residents will not be able to leave their homes after a snowstorm.”
The City said it does not have any ‘statutory obligation’ to provide this service under the provincial standards.’
The windrow clearing program now applies to residents of Etobicoke, North York and Scarborough.
“Adoption of this budget would result in Transportation Services no longer providing windrow clearing as a service in the City,” according to the budget proposal.
The City said if the cut is approved the service will continue until the end of this winter and end next year.
Deputy Mayor Jennifer McKelvie said she was told “loud and clear” at a town hall meeting that people in her Scarborough Rouge Park also do not want to see the program axed, since roughly 20 per cent of residents in her ward are seniors.
“They consider the windrow clearing an essential service provided to them and it ensures that they have accessibility throughout winter and they’re able to age in place and live in their homes,” McKelvie said.
The City said cutting the windrow program will save $16 million yearly.
She said seniors in her community, like in South Etobicoke, are reliant on their cars and in many cases have to drive to take transit like the GO Train.
She said eliminating the program will unfairly impact seniors.
City staff are proposing a 10.5 per cent tax for property owners as Toronto tries to plug a $1.8 billion budget deficit. Staff are also proposing an extra six per cent levy if the federal government does not provide $250 million to shelter refugees and asylum seekers.
The budget Committee wrapped up its deliberations on January 26. It will be presented to City Council for a vote on February 14.