Iqaluit (Feb 23/04) - City council hopes a new snow removal bylaw will prevent another needless death from taking place on the streets of Iqaluit.

Four-year-old Sheila Mathewsie was killed last April when she stepped in front of a city sewer truck. One of the reasons the accident happened was because a snow pile was blocking the driver's view of the street, said Ian Freemantle, chief administrative officer for the city.

Now council is in the process of developing a snow removal bylaw. Freemantle said there is an urgent need for this bylaw.

"The little girl just walked out from behind a snowbank," he said. "There was no time for the driver to react."

"The accident might not have happened if we had this bylaw," said Freemantle.

Council passed first and second reading of the new bylaw, which would restrict the number of snow piles on busy streets.

The bylaw comes at a time when council is making a number of efforts to increase the safety of pedestrians.

Coun. Goola Nakasook was in favour of the bylaw.

"The current practise of piling snow is very dangerous," he said. "There are children playing on them and digging holes. We can't have that."

Coun. Simanuk Kilabuk pointed out that city employees need to be briefed about the bylaw because they are responsible for piling up snow near intersections.

Third reading of the bylaw is scheduled for the next council meeting on Feb. 10.