As it turns out, keeping snow off our local roads each winter adds up.
Renfrew’s Acting Director of Facilities, Maintenance, and Operations, Janet Collins, goes through a line-by-line cost breakdown for what it takes to clear up the average winter storm in a recent report, using an example from December 19th, when town staff were tasked with cleaning up an estimated 10 to 15 centimetres locally.
She explains that most of the cost comes from consumables and time spent.
There’s also the price of the actual hours the in-house equipment and vehicles are used.
Both add up to show that cleaning up after a snowfall is a costly, but necessary, procedure.
Collins adds that there are a few items that are not included in that cost, such as:
- Staffing and equipment for cleaning around the perimeter of public buildings like the myFM Centre, swinging bridge, and Visitors Information Centre,
- Janitorial costs for clearing snow around the Library, Town Hall, and Health Unit building.
- Mechanic costs for repairs and parts
- and other contracting plowing, sanding, and salting inside Ma-te-Way Park and 1 Innovation Drive.
So far in 2023, the town has spent $856,053 for snowplowing, snow removal, sanding and salting, and keeping sidewalks clean.
You can see the full breakdown of costs on the Town of Renfrew’s website.
(written by Kasey Egan)
