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By Alessia Proietti

Increasing policy flexibility

New pilot program for residential snow and ice control to begin this winter in Red Deer

Jun 12, 2023 | 6:30 PM

While winter couldn’t seem farther away right now, the City of Red Deer says a new pilot program for residential snow and ice control will begin this winter.

At their regular meeting on Monday, council unanimously approved a shift to how administration will maintain roadways in all four season.

During budget deliberations in December 2022, administration was directed to explore the possibility of a utility model funding mechanism and review the snow removal policy in Q2 of 2023.

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Councillor Victor Doerksen also proposed funding snow removal as a public utility; however, the City responded that is not a possibility as the current Municipal Government Act does not expressly include snow removal in the definition of public utility.

Council instead approved on Monday the revised Integrated and Accessible Transportation Policy that outlines four key principles to guide how roads are maintained year-round:

1. Safe: The infrastructure systems encompassing all modes of transportation are safe through a priority-based ranking system to ensure critical infrastructure and services are maintained first. A mobility hierarchy is also proposed that will prioritize the movement of motorized vehicles first, followed by pedestrians and transit, with on-street parking restored once mobility is realized.
2. Accessible: Users can get to where they need to with minimal barriers to mobility. Should barriers exist, the City will work to re-establish uninterrupted access in a timely manner and free of impediments.
3. Well Maintained: Users experience well maintained roads, trails, sidewalks, and transit stops through all four seasons with commitments to flexible responsive service, ride comfort and experience, preparedness and equity.
4. Accountable: Citizens can access the policy, know how to access information, be well informed of the program and schedule and understand their role in supporting a multi-modal community. The City says that 27,000 individuals are signed up for the Notify Red Deer application, with 17,000 opted-in for snow and ice alerts.

Doerksen questioned why the plan was being shifted to a more generalized approach. City Manager Tara Lodewyk responded that the Parks and Public Works department has had several blocks in their reaction plans this winter due to more specific policies.

“This revised policy approved today by council means we can be more responsive to our snow and ice operations, shifting to be faster, more proactive and flexible. That means citizens will see mobility restored sooner following snow and other extreme weather events,” said Greg Sikora, Manager of Parks and Public Works.

The City says a pilot program will run this winter, which will test different snow and ice operations and maintenance approaches, such as city-wide residential parking bans as an example.

More information on how snow and ice operations will look next winter will be shared with the public over the coming months. Any resourcing requests, if required, for an ongoing program will be brought forward during the 2025/2026 budget process.