Toronto looks to follow NYC and pay residents to shovel sidewalks
Toronto hopes to adopt a program similar to NYC's.
Snow and snow removal have been hot topics in Toronto this winter, following a historic January storm that brought record accumulation to the city, leaving crews scrambling to clear sidewalks and roads.
At the time, Toronto said its snow removal crews were out 24/7, but that full removal could take up to 3 weeks, a declaration that left some residents irked.
Note from the author: I wanted to add some social media posts from frustrated residents, but most of them included expletives and other colourful language. If I put those here, I’ll get a stern talking-to from the higher-ups, so you’ll have to use your imagination.
Toronto's post-snowstorm rollout has opened a discussion on what authorities can do to expedite the process next time.
In a March 3 letter to the executive committee, Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow pitches developing “a paid surge capacity sidewalk shovelling program modelled on the successful approach in New York City,” the Toronto Star reports.
“Clearing sidewalks has continued to be a point of frustration,” she writes.
New York calls on residents to help with snow removal
The “successful approach in New York City” Chow references stems from the mobilization of residents to act as paid emergency snow removal personnel following a major storm.
On February 22, New York City declared a local state of emergency after receiving significant snowfall, with more than 50 cm of accumulation recorded in Central Park.
Schools were shut down, flights were delayed or cancelled, and streets, highways, and bridges were closed.
City plows were out in full effect, but New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani put out a call to residents for a little extra support.
He said the New York Department of Sanitation (DSNY) could supervise up to 1,800 paid civilian snow shovellers per shift following the storm, and encouraged the public to sign up.
Offering the pay people to shovel snow in New York City isn’t new: It's had a program in place for decades. The going rate is usually around $19.00 (US) per hour, but during the February storm Mamdani upped it to $30.00 per hour, rising to more than $40.00 per hour of overtime.
It was a success: Following the call to action, WPIX reports that more than 1,400 people signed up, a substantial increase over the 500 people who came forward after a January storm, DSNY commissioner Javier Lojan told the news outlet.
Toronto hopes to learn from NYC
According to the Toronto Star, Chow brought up the possibility of residents shovelling snow in January and February, but the initiative was stalled due to potential legal and operational challenges.
Chow suggested taking a closer look at New York City’s program and determining if it could work in Toronto as soon as possible.
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Header image: File photo of snowy Toronto sidewalk via Canva Pro. File photo of Olivia Chow (Tim Ehlich/Flickr/Wikipedia) CC BY-SA 2.0. File photo of Zohran Mamdami (Bingjiefu He/Wikipedia) CC BY-SA 4.0