Toronto's snow-clearing system may require millions in new funding to enhance its reliability, according to a recent report. However, city officials indicate that the necessary funds are not currently available. The independent review, commissioned by the city council following a series of snowstorms in February, assessed various models to improve snow removal operations in Toronto.

The report, prepared by Municipal VU Consulting Inc., outlines several options for the city. The most comprehensive plan would cost approximately $130 million annually, with $94.4 million allocated for additional staff and equipment on standby. This plan would involve new contracts for proactive snow removal and major snow events, ensuring that all necessary equipment and personnel are ready from December 1 to March 31 each year.

Conversely, the least expensive option would involve negotiating enhancements to the existing winter contracts, costing around $24 million per year. However, the report suggests that this should not be the city's ultimate goal. Instead, it recommends a complete redesign of Toronto's winter maintenance program.

City Manager Paul Johnson's report, which will be discussed at an upcoming executive committee meeting, states that there is no extra funding available in the city's operating budget for these costly changes. Johnson advocates for alternative measures within the current budget and the establishment of a new city division to prevent a repeat of the recent snow-related issues.

"Given Toronto’s climate — where major snowstorms of sufficient scale to trigger full removal operations do not occur every winter — this report does not recommend engaging in specific snow removal models due to the cost," Johnson wrote in his report released on Monday.

The city has invested $481,000 in the consulting work, which includes developing a comprehensive response plan for major snow events. Johnson noted that staff have begun implementing initiatives to improve winter maintenance operations for the upcoming season. This includes creating a dedicated year-round winter operations unit, which will require 18 additional staff members at an estimated cost of $1.3 million. Funding for this initiative will be proposed during the 2026 budget process.

Since July, the city has acquired 25 new pieces of snow-clearing equipment, including front-end loaders, sidewalk plows, snow blowers, and snow smelters. One challenge faced during previous snowfalls was the inability of sidewalk snowplows to manage the volume of snow. The city plans to test new, more powerful sidewalk plows this winter.

Additionally, the city will eliminate the temporary hold period on 311 service requests during snowstorms, allowing residents to report issues such as salting or plowing. City staff will be deployed more effectively during major snow events, and councillors will have the ability to escalate issues to a new centralized unit.

Snow removal operations will now commence after 8 centimeters of snow has accumulated in areas where limited storage could affect safety or emergency services. Mayor Olivia Chow has previously criticized the city's snow removal operations and called for a review of the city's winter contracts, which are valued at up to $1.5 billion over seven years and extend until 2029.

Johnson's report indicates that the city is still negotiating improvements within the current contracts. The city plans to utilize both contracted and in-house resources for snow removal, with enhancements aimed at improving performance and operational readiness. The auditor general has pointed out issues with the city's GPS dashboard, which will be addressed this winter to allow for real-time monitoring of snow-clearing routes.

To tackle the disconnect between contractors and city staff regarding snow-clearing reports, an enhanced verification process will be piloted starting in December. This will involve city staff physically inspecting cleared routes. Johnson's report also mentions that a surge plan is being finalized to redeploy additional city staff from other divisions to assist with snow-clearing efforts after major storms.