Latest news with #snowclearing
CTV News
13 hours ago
- Automotive
- CTV News
City to add more tow trucks, lower fine amounts for parking bans
Edmonton city council supported a move that would see increased towing and lower fines for vehicles not moved during seasonal parking bans. CTV News Edmonton's Jeremy Thompson reports. Tow trucks and smaller fines on their way during seasonal parking bans More tow trucks and smaller fines are on their way for Edmonton drivers who don't move their vehicles during seasonal parking bans. City council is trying to find the right formula for effective snow clearing and street-sweeping of its more than 12,000 kilometres of roads, balancing enforcement with education. The city has issued at least 2,200 parking tickets in three of the four winters Edmonton has had a seasonal parking ban system. Ashley Salvador, the councillor representing ward Metis in east Edmonton, said Monday the city wants 'to be able to clear streets both in the winter and spring in the most efficient and cost-effective way possible.' 'In order to do that, we do need folks to be getting their vehicles out of the streets,' Salvador told media at city hall. The winter of 2023-24, though, was an exception. The winter was mild enough that the city didn't issue a parking ban on neighbourhoods roads. Besides, the city had reduced the number of bylaw officers that year to five from 15. There's also been no city money for tow trucks the last two winters. City councillors are moving to change that, giving initial approval to spend $100,000 on tow-truck contracting next winter, paid for, eventually, by property taxes. They also support reining in the parking fine from $250 to $150, with a further discount for early payments. 'If we scale up enforcement, we need to match it with a fine amount that is reasonable and not punitive,' Erin Rutherford, city councillor for the north-central ward Anirniq, told media. Residents can sign up for the city's email/text parking ban warning service.
CTV News
26-05-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Mother Nature buries Ottawa's snow-clearing budget in first 3 months of the year
Crews remove snow from streets in Ottawa's Central Park neighbourhood on Friday. (Peter Szperling/CTV News Ottawa) The City of Ottawa implemented a discretionary spending freeze and a hiring pause this spring, after Mother Nature buried the city's snow-clearing budget during the winter. A report for the finance and corporate services committee shows the city posted a $14 million deficit in the January to March period. Staff say the deficit was 'mainly driven' by the above-average winter snowfall, resulting in a $24.9 million deficit in the winter operations budget. 'Financial mitigation measures, such as a discretionary spending freeze and a hiring pause, have helped reduce the deficit to $14 million,' staff said in the report for the June 3 committee meeting. 'Management remains committed to implementing these strategies throughout 2025, with a continued focus on maintaining service levels.' The report shows the Road Services department posted a $24.9 million deficit due to higher expenditures for winter maintenance of roads and sidewalks. The city received 193 cm of snow between January and March. In addition to the hiring pause and the discretionary spending freeze, the city says surpluses in several departments during the first quarter helped offset the deficit. Solid Waste Services posted a $3.7 million surplus, Emergency and Protective Services saw a $1.4 million surplus, and Recreation, Cultural and Facility Services ran a $962,00 surplus due to higher-than-anticipated revenues from arena rentals and registrations. OC Transpo running in the red OC Transpo continues to run in the red, due to lower-than-budgeted fare revenue. Staff say OC Transpo posted a $1.7 million budget deficit in the first three months of the year. 'Revenues were $1.9 million below budget, mainly due to lower provincial funding resulting from lower Transit Payment Agreement expenditures, and lower-than budgeted fare revenue,' staff said. 'These shortfalls were partially mitigated by higher gas tax revenues.' The report shows expenditures were $200,000 below budget, mainly due to lower compensation costs and O-Train Line 1 performance deductions. Carbon Tax City staff say the elimination of the federal carbon impact is expected to have a 'positive impact' on the 2025 operating budget during the remaining nine months of the year. As of April 1, the federal government removed the consumer carbon tax. 'The policy change is expected to reduce operating costs, particularly in fuel-intensive departments such as Transit Services, Public Works, and Emergency and Protective Services,' staff said. City Treasurer Cyril Rogers told councillors earlier this spring that the city could save $10.5 million this spring through the removal of the federal carbon tax, including $7.2 million at OC Transpo.
