Latest news with #snowclearing
CTV News
4 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
HRM isn't effectively managing its winter operations: auditor general
A pedestrian makes their way through a winter storm as high winds and heavy snow blanket Halifax, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darren Calabrese The Halifax Regional Municipality is not managing the winter well, according to a Management of Winter Operations Audit. In a news release Wednesday, HRM's auditor general said Public Works relies on informal monitoring in its assessment of municipal performance. 'Without adequate monitoring it is impossible to know what value HRM is getting for its winter service delivery,' said Andrew Atherton. The audit found snow-clearing contract terms were acceptable, but without accurate monitoring, management cannot assess compliance, said the release. It found public complaints about snow-clearing were closed without analyzing performance trends. The audit showed management does not know the cost of winter operations since some of them are 'captured' in other HRM business units. 'Not knowing the total costs may limit HRM's ability to make appropriate resource allocation decisions,' Atherton said. The report included recommendations to improve seasonal planning, hazard assessment and training, so the city can identify and manage snow-clearing risks. HRM management has agreed to implement the 13 recommendations in the report, said the release. For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
CTV News
5 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
City of Montreal ordered to pay over $23.3K to company after refusing to pay for its services over blacklisting
The City of Montreal is being made to pay a snow clearing company over $23,300 for refusing to pay for services after realizing the business was blacklisted from public contracts. Excavation Anjou Inc., which expanded beyond snow clearing, was hired to clean sidewalks in April and May 2018. But, in 2016, the Bureau de l'inspecteur général de la Ville (BIG) et de l'Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF) decided the company could not be contracted by the city for five years. The company was accused of engaging in collusive practices during calls for tenders. Despite saying it was satisfied with the spring cleaning services, Montreal refused to pay Excavation Anjou, arguing the company should have known it was blacklisted from contracts and turned down the city's offer. According to June 11 court documents reviewed by CTV News, Excavation Anjou owner and president Yvan Dubé was visited by two BIG inspectors in February 2018, asking him about services and rates. Dubé said he was surprised by the visit considering the BIG's previous decisions, but an inspector told him that his cooperation could help him get city contracts again. A few weeks later, Marc Dussault, an employee for the Hochelaga-Maisonneuve borough, requested Dubé's company wash the borough's sidewalks. Because the contract was under $25,000, no calls for tenders were necessary. However, Dussault only had the authority to approve expenses up to $10,000 and had to get approval from higher-ups, which he did. According to the court document, Dussault did not think to check whether Excavation Anjou was eligible to work for the city, and Dubé did not mention it as he felt reassured by the BIG inspectors' visit. The contract was approved, and the work was done over 21 days for a total of $23,385.95. Once the invoice was sent to the city's accounts payable department, Dussault was informed it would not be possible to pay the company because it was blacklisted. Judge Catherine Pilon ruled that Excavation Anjou did not act in bad faith and that if there was negligence, it was on the city's end. Dubé is therefore entitled to payment of the entire invoice plus interest and additional compensation. 'The Tribunal found evidence that this error was repeated several times within the City. Mr. Dussault's director, who approved the awarding of the work, also failed to verify Excavation Anjou's status,' Pilon wrote in her decision. 'Furthermore, when the work began, the City issued 21 requests for payment for rolling stock without anyone raising any issues. This lack of a verification system and this series of errors amount to negligence for which Excavation Anjou should not be held responsible.'
CTV News
6 days ago
- Automotive
- CTV News
City to add more tow trucks, lower fine amounts for parking bans
Edmonton city council supported a move that would see increased towing and lower fines for vehicles not moved during seasonal parking bans. CTV News Edmonton's Jeremy Thompson reports. Tow trucks and smaller fines on their way during seasonal parking bans More tow trucks and smaller fines are on their way for Edmonton drivers who don't move their vehicles during seasonal parking bans. City council is trying to find the right formula for effective snow clearing and street-sweeping of its more than 12,000 kilometres of roads, balancing enforcement with education. The city has issued at least 2,200 parking tickets in three of the four winters Edmonton has had a seasonal parking ban system. Ashley Salvador, the councillor representing ward Metis in east Edmonton, said Monday the city wants 'to be able to clear streets both in the winter and spring in the most efficient and cost-effective way possible.' 'In order to do that, we do need folks to be getting their vehicles out of the streets,' Salvador told media at city hall. The winter of 2023-24, though, was an exception. The winter was mild enough that the city didn't issue a parking ban on neighbourhoods roads. Besides, the city had reduced the number of bylaw officers that year to five from 15. There's also been no city money for tow trucks the last two winters. City councillors are moving to change that, giving initial approval to spend $100,000 on tow-truck contracting next winter, paid for, eventually, by property taxes. They also support reining in the parking fine from $250 to $150, with a further discount for early payments. 'If we scale up enforcement, we need to match it with a fine amount that is reasonable and not punitive,' Erin Rutherford, city councillor for the north-central ward Anirniq, told media. Residents can sign up for the city's email/text parking ban warning service.
CTV News
26-05-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Mother Nature buries Ottawa's snow-clearing budget in first 3 months of the year
Crews remove snow from streets in Ottawa's Central Park neighbourhood on Friday. (Peter Szperling/CTV News Ottawa) The City of Ottawa implemented a discretionary spending freeze and a hiring pause this spring, after Mother Nature buried the city's snow-clearing budget during the winter. A report for the finance and corporate services committee shows the city posted a $14 million deficit in the January to March period. Staff say the deficit was 'mainly driven' by the above-average winter snowfall, resulting in a $24.9 million deficit in the winter operations budget. 'Financial mitigation measures, such as a discretionary spending freeze and a hiring pause, have helped reduce the deficit to $14 million,' staff said in the report for the June 3 committee meeting. 'Management remains committed to implementing these strategies throughout 2025, with a continued focus on maintaining service levels.' The report shows the Road Services department posted a $24.9 million deficit due to higher expenditures for winter maintenance of roads and sidewalks. The city received 193 cm of snow between January and March. In addition to the hiring pause and the discretionary spending freeze, the city says surpluses in several departments during the first quarter helped offset the deficit. Solid Waste Services posted a $3.7 million surplus, Emergency and Protective Services saw a $1.4 million surplus, and Recreation, Cultural and Facility Services ran a $962,00 surplus due to higher-than-anticipated revenues from arena rentals and registrations. OC Transpo running in the red OC Transpo continues to run in the red, due to lower-than-budgeted fare revenue. Staff say OC Transpo posted a $1.7 million budget deficit in the first three months of the year. 'Revenues were $1.9 million below budget, mainly due to lower provincial funding resulting from lower Transit Payment Agreement expenditures, and lower-than budgeted fare revenue,' staff said. 'These shortfalls were partially mitigated by higher gas tax revenues.' The report shows expenditures were $200,000 below budget, mainly due to lower compensation costs and O-Train Line 1 performance deductions. Carbon Tax City staff say the elimination of the federal carbon impact is expected to have a 'positive impact' on the 2025 operating budget during the remaining nine months of the year. As of April 1, the federal government removed the consumer carbon tax. 'The policy change is expected to reduce operating costs, particularly in fuel-intensive departments such as Transit Services, Public Works, and Emergency and Protective Services,' staff said. City Treasurer Cyril Rogers told councillors earlier this spring that the city could save $10.5 million this spring through the removal of the federal carbon tax, including $7.2 million at OC Transpo.
