Winter Walking and Cycling

[danbrotherston]

I think one of the issues is that we haven't had a tough winter in a number of years, and with the way budgets are made, if you don't use it, you lose it. Maybe this is why so many areas remain snow covered.

Yet another example of systemic incompetence, if true. Only a total incompetent would make the snow clearing budget work that way.

It’s questionable everywhere but clearly incorrect for snow clearing.

That being said, I’m not sure that’s how the snow clearing budget works. Does anybody know specifically what the process is? I can imagine a city council foolishly trimming the snow budget after a few years of using it less when obviously they should be saving up so that a snowy winter doesn’t blow out the rest of the budget but instead just causes them to use up the accumulated surplus in the snow budget. Also the snow budget year should span an entire winter season regardless of what fiscal year the rest of the budget uses.

This is a case where real world considerations trump any accounting principles that accounting experts might know which I don’t know.

The city's budget includes stabilisation funds, so in years where there is little snow, it comes in under budget and the funds increase, and in years where there is a lot of snow, they draw down those funds.

They try to project the average cost, but it's becoming more difficult with climate change.

But this is for city sidewalk and road clearing.

The bus stops are cleared by a contractor with an SLA...if the bus stops are not being cleared, which I completely believe, call the region, they may complain at their contractor a little more.

But in all likelihood, nothing will change. GRT replaces it's contractor for non-performance every couple of years...it's like a regular thing at this point.