City failed to meet 2024 snow clearing targets

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This article was published 08/01/2025 (253 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Snow clearing crews with the City of Brandon did not meet their targets in 2024.

After two significant snowfalls in December, they were almost a day behind when plowing the streets, said Travis Woloshen, the city’s maintenance manager.

“It is our goal to clear 1-A routes after three days of 24-hour plowing. In 2024, we’d been averaging four days to clear,” Woloshen told Mayor Jeff Fawcett and members of Brandon City Council during Monday evening’s regular meeting.

Woloshen’s was asked to make a presentation to council by Patrick Pulak, the city’s general manager of operations, in response to questions posed by Coun. Shawn Berry (Ward 7).

During the last council meeting of 2024, held on Dec. 18, Berry had sought more information about how Brandonites were being informed when snow pileups in their neighbourhoods were about to be cleared.

On Monday evening, Berry repeated some of his questions citing what he characterized as a lack of communication.

“All we’re asking, and all the residents want to know is roughly when (their street will be cleared),” Berry said.

“But I can’t even get that information from you guys, and I just don’t think that’s right. All we are trying to do is communicate the service, which is great.

“You guys do a great job, but we need to let people know. They may not be happy with the answer, but at least they’re going to have an idea … It’s just not knowing that gets people’s blood pressure and tempers up and up and up. That’s my whole point,” he added.

The city has posted snow removal and clearing routes on its website, including maps, which show zones according to their priority.

But there is a reluctance to post specific information about when people can expect their streets to be cleared, said Pulak.

“Maybe we put a disclaimer saying these times are an estimate and that times can change due to circumstances beyond our control, we can have those discussions,” he said.

“I’ve heard your message loud and clear that our communication could be a little bit better,” Pulak said to Berry. He added that he has asked Woloshen to speak to council because he has first-hand knowledge about the snow plow and clearing work that is required.

Woloshen, who has spent the majority of his 16-year-long career with the city’s Streets and Roads Department, explained to council how his team co-ordinated the snow clearing, and some of the issues they faced “during a snow event.”

Challenges, he said, include two new grader operators who are in their first season of plowing with the city. And of the nine dedicated loader operators, six are in their first winter season with the department.

Additionally, crews were faced with a second dump of snow before they had a chance to clear the first significant pileup. In December 2024, Brandon had 30 centimetres of snow to contend with after being hit by two snowstorms, two weeks in a row.

“We aim for the P 1-A route to be complete within 24 hours. Over the last two plows, it’s taken us closer to 30 (hours),” Woloshen told Fawcett and members of council.

Planning starts as soon as they learn that a heavy snowfall is predicted, Woloshen said. Meetings are conducted to make sure the plows, graders and trucks are ready.

Staff members are made aware, and a schedule is created, he added, and “spot plowing or sanding may happen to keep the roads in an acceptable condition.”

“And once the storm has stopped, priority routes are broken up into sections,” said Woloshen.

The city separates its streets into different priority categories.

Priority 1-A routes, major arterial streets, are targeted for clearing within 24 hours of snowfall. Priority 1 routes, arterial and collector streets, as well as bus routes, are expected to be cleared within 24 to 72 hours.

Priority 2 routes are all other remaining streets and roads, which the city clears after all higher priority roads have been cleared.

Priority 3 routes are back lanes, which the city endeavours to clear a day before sanitation crews need access for garbage pickup.

It’s not always possible to provide updates about when a zone will be finished, Woloshen added, because of how long it takes to remove the snow, the possibility of equipment breakdown, unexpected staff absence, and snow conditions from one area to the next.

A post on the city’s social media accounts said the city is responsible for clearing 275 kilometres of roads, 39 kilometres of bike paths and 104 kilometres of sidewalks.

For more information on snow clearing procedures, visit https://www.brandon.ca/snow-removal

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