Montreal will open a centre to co-ordinate snow removal among its 19 boroughs following more than 30 centimetres of snow. (CBC)Snow removal in the city of Montreal will be improved this winter, vows the executive committee member responsible for services to citizens, Michael Applebaum.

In the past, the city — in which snow removal is managed by each of the 19 boroughs — has been criticized for delays in carting away snow following major storms and for wide disparities in the quality of services between boroughs.

This season the city is increasing its budget for snow removal services by $2.7 million, for a total of $136 million, Applebaum said. willHe said the city is also working to improve the co-ordination of services with its boroughs.

But Applebaum, who is also mayor of Côte-des-Neiges-Notre-Dame-de-Grâce, reiterated that borough officials are ultimately responsible for the choices they make with the budget they are allotted.

"In Côte-des-Neiges-Notre-Dame-de-Grâce — the buck stops there with me and with the elected representatives."

New equipment

The city has purchased 12 new pieces of equipment to help accelerate the clearing and spreading of sand on sidewalks in the Ville-Marie, Plateau-Mont-Royal and Côte-des-Neiges-Notre-Dame-de-Grâce boroughs, Applebaum said.

For snowfalls of more than 30 centimetres the city said it will open a co-ordination centre that will work with the boroughs, school boards, health and safety officials to make clearing operations as efficient as possible, said Montreal’s director of snow removal, Yves Girard.

Ten bus lanes and 22 other important areas identified by the Montreal Transit Corp. will be made a priority for snow clearing.Michael Applebaum, who was named to the executive committee following the Nov. 1 civic election, will be responsible for snow removal. (CBC)

Beaubien Street East has also been added a list of 15 other major routes that must be cleared within 36 hours.

Once again this year, 5,000 free overnight parking spaces will be available following snowfalls.

Applebaum was critical of plans by the Plateau-Mont-Royal borough to stop removing snow on weekends to help cut costs. The borough will still plow the snow, but it won't truck it away until Monday morning at the earliest, borough Mayor Luc Ferrandez announced last week.

Boroughs have to manage their personnel in order to properly meet the needs of their population, Applebaum said.

"I've already said to them in council that it's nice in theory to say one thing but then when we come to practice it could be very, very different."

He added that leaving the snow to freeze on the ground could cost the borough more in the long run.