Calgarians could face fines for scooping up snowfall and putting it into roads or mobility lanes should a new winter maintenance policy be approved.

The new policy, which is coming to the March 13 Infrastructure and Planning Committee meeting would see new fines included and also a greater commitment to the prompt clearing of Priority 2 routes (community and transit).

The proposed snow-clearing response would see the City of Calgary attempt to begin clearing 1,300 high-priority bus stops, all major roads (Priority 1) and community and transit routes, priority walking and wheeling lanes, City maintained pedestrian infrastructure (including sidewalks next to City-owned property) and more than 750 kilometres of pathway within 24 hours.

The city admin report said they want to improve safety, transit reliability and public satisfaction.

“The City is committed to ensuring that Calgarians can travel safely during winter conditions,” read the City admin report coming to committee.

“Winter maintenance services play a crucial role in enhancing public safety, accessibility, quality of life, and are consistently ranked among the most important City services.”

Ward 1 Coun. Sonya Sharp, who is the chair of the Infrastructure and Planning Committee, said that this will be a difference that Calgarians will notice.

“They’re looking towards making sure that some of these smaller things are cleared,” Sharp told LWC.

“The one thing I will say in the last two years that I’ve been in this job, we get either a pathway complaint or someone from the community calls and emails us intended for 311 with their request, I would say that the team goes out and clear that as soon as they can.”

According to the admin report, the service adjustments can be made without a tax impact, due to efficiencies found in operations and recent budget investments made by Calgary city council.

The budget for 2024 will be about $54 million.

Scoop it into your yard, or the furniture zone

One of the big changes being contemplated in the winter maintenance policy is the introduction of fines for improper snow clearing.

The policy prescribes a fine for the placement of snow or ice from private parcels onto the public right of way (roads). This is already prohibited by city bylaw but doesn’t carry a fine.  If ticketed, the minimum fine is $150.

It would also be a $150 fine to scoop snow into protected mobility (walking and wheeling lanes.) According to a City of Calgary graphic coming up in a presentation Thursday, sidewalks can be shoveled, but the snow must be placed on a boulevard or in what’s often referred to as the furniture or edge zones between the curb and the primary pedestrian area.

“If you’re throwing snow from your private property onto the street or public realm … definitely people will notice that if they’re doing it there’s a fine in their mailbox,” Sharp said.

Sharp wasn’t certain if enforcement would be done on a complaint basis, or if bylaw officers would be patrolling areas for infractions.

Winter can be all over the place, Sharp said, and they wanted to update and clarify some of the winter clearing priorities. They also wanted to make sure that they had the appropriate budget – particularly when they need it.

To ensure the budgetary aspect, city administration is recommending council bump up the maximum snow and ice reserve to $22 million, up from $15 million.

“You’ve got to put some money towards this because it’s one of the biggest things people do notice and one of the biggest things people will complain about,” Coun. Sharp said.

If approved, the item would proceed to a full meeting of council and appear on the consent agenda.