Montreal promises fix problems with tardy snow removal and icy sidewalks

Montreal says it will improve its snow-clearing policies after it received numerous complaints about the state of the city’s streets and sidewalks following the most recent storm.

Jean-Francois Parenteau, the councillor responsible for citizen services, took a lot of heat after sidewalks across town turned into quasi skating rinks, forcing those with limited mobility to stay indoors.

He said Wednesday the administration didn’t delay snow clearing for budgetary reasons and added the city will never compromise the security of citizens.

Parenteau took a bet that last weekend’s warmer temperatures would have melted much of the accumulation, but he lost the gamble and was forced to apologize on Twitter.