Public works budget not built to handle massive snowfalls
Jorge Barrera
Northern News Services
Yellowknife (Jan 05/01) - Yellowknife's snow removal budget could be pushed over the limit if heavy snowfalls continue says the director of public works.
"Our budget is not built to take these types of snowfalls," said Gary Craig, director of public works.
According to Craig, overtime and contracting cuts heavily into the budget, two things the city will resort to if heavy snow falls keep coming. So far the department has kept snow clearing in-house and spent only 12 hours in overtime.
"We didn't budget for snow dumping like this," said Craig.
"If this is the only one then we're fine," he said.
City crews began clearing snow Wednesday night at 7 p.m. and worked straight throughout the night.
The city had one grader, a belly-plow and two loaders clearing snow by Thursday morning. City councillor Ben McDonald says the city has to adjust for more heavy snowfalls in the future.
"This is an offshoot of climate change," said McDonald, "it's going to tax our capacity...the city has to adjust."
Mayor Gord Van Tighem said the city is well within budget so far.
"We're doing fine," said Van Tighem, "but if we get a couple more like this things should get interesting."
According to Jim Daher, site manager for NAV Canada, 15 centimetres of snow fell on Yellowknife Wednesday night.
