Item - 2023.EY4.22

The Etobicoke York Community Council:

1. Requested the Director, Operations and Maintenance, Transportation Services, to report to the May 15, 2023 Etobicoke York Community Council with a report on the extent of plow damage within the district, the plan to make repairs, an overview of the responsibilities of the City, the snow clearing contractor, and of residents, and on progress toward making repairs this spring.

Following the recent winter snow melt, my office has received numerous calls with concerns over snow plow damage to sod along sidewalks and other landscape features within the road right of way. A review of information from 311 Toronto shows that there have been hundreds of calls for damage within this district, and based on observation, they likely represent a fraction of the damage.

While there are a number of contributing factors, the extent of the plow damage is clearly more than in recent prior years, both in the number of incidents, and also in severity with numerous very deep and very large gouges to grassed areas. A large amount of debris and soil has been deposited along sidewalks, at bus stops, and at the edges of the road.

I am writing to request an update be provided to the Etobicoke York Community Council at the May 15, 2023 Community Council meeting concerning the extent of damage, the plan to make repairs, an overview of the responsibilities of the City, the snow clearing contractor, and of residents, and on progress toward making repairs this spring. A brief report would be helpful to inform members of Council and residents about the way forward to restore the City's right of way back to a state of good repair.