PG’s snow control levy is going up.
A $700,000 boost will bring the snow removal cost to an even $7 million in 2016, though a few councillors want to see it scaled back down the road.
“With snow control, road operations, road capital, fleet capital… We’re getting close to about $20 million in investment,” says Councillor Jillian Merrick. “I’m not going to challenge or try to reduce the proposed increase for now, but I don’t think this is sustainable over the long term. $7 million a year for both roads and snow clearing is a far cry from where we were three years ago.”
It’s a far cry, but one that finance feels is in the right direction.
Snow control has been short-funded for several years, with snow removal going over budget by hundreds of thousands of dollars in the past.
2015 has been dealt a fairly mild winter in comparison, yet costs have eaten up $5.03 million of the $6.3 million dollar 2015 snow budget up to this point.
Director of Finance Kris Dalio says their goal is to budget for an average snowfall each year.
“Ideally, we try to build up reserve to allow for years where we take a really heavy snowfall. But our levy hasn’t been enough to build up those funds. We are looking at a light winter this year, so hopefully that reserve builds and we’ll be able to counter a heavy winter another year.”
But as it turns out, $7 million probably isn’t enough to build much of a reserve.
“I think 7 million is just enough to fund an average snowfall year,” adds Dalio. “I think if we were to actually build a reserve that number needs to be closer to $7.3 million.”