Edmonton 311 snow on walk complaints soaring, already exceed last winter’s total

Snow on walk complaints to the City of Edmonton's 311 service more than doubled and the number of tickets issued grew by 24 per cent in January compared to the same time last year, according to city data.

In January 2021, the city received 957 complaints compared to 2,184 this January.

The number of tickets grew as well, with the city saying its officers issued 298 tickets in January of 2021 compared to 378 last month.

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So far, there have been 4,786 complaints filed to 311 between Nov. 1 and Jan. 31 compared to 4,299 for all of last winter, defined as stretching between October and April.

Part of the difference is explained by last year’s relatively mild winter that was also the city’s second-driest in more than 100 years, according to Environment Canada.

But, the number of complaints could also outpace the winter of 2019/2020, where there were 2,333 complaints at the end of January and 5,648 at the end of winter.

That season, nearly 35 per cent of complaints came in February.

The data on 311 complaints is provided on the city’s open data portal. Figures here list the number of complaints but exclude duplicate files where the complaint was already under investigation and also those complaints deemed not to meet bylaw offence standards.

Edmonton endured extreme cold over last December and January, including an historic stretch where the high temperature failed to exceed -20 C on 13 of 15 days.

More recently, a cycle of mild temperatures followed by a renewed cold snap has taken hold, resulting in icy streets and sidewalks.

Relative to neighbourhoods, the most complaints so far this winter were registered in:

• Holyrood - 123
• Westwood - 97
• Chappelle Area - 94
• Alberta Avenue - 88
• Laurel - 81

The average number of complaints to date among the city’s 391 neighbourhoods was 11.4 and 104 neighbourhoods – mostly industrial, commercial or parks – logged zero complaints.

‘CLEAR OF ALL SNOW AND ICE’

Section seven of the Community Standards Bylaw states that all sidewalks must be cleared of snow and ice but doesn’t provide a timeframe, only stating that “a person shall maintain any sidewalk adjacent to land they own or occupy clear of all snow and ice.”

The city warns that failure to do that could result in a $100 fine on top of any potential cleanup costs.

“As residents of a winter city, we need to be considerate of the impact snow-covered and icy sidewalks have on our neighbours and fellow citizens,” the city’s website reads.

The city says it examines each case individually but encourages people to discuss concerns with the property owner before filing a formal complaint.

Complaints are assessed within four business days and are prioritized based on severity, location and weather.

Violators are responsible for paying the cost of an independent contractor to clear away the snow.

Free sand is also available at community sandboxes and the city’s roadway maintenance yards.