Edmonton looking to fund quicker snow removal

With the City of Edmonton floating the idea of more funding for quicker snow removal at bus stops for the winter, disability advocates say more areas need to be cleared for transit to be accessible.

“The more important area is to be able to have that pathway to that bus stop. Not only along the sidewalks, or to cross intersections. As well, many people who are travelling to the bus stops are also going in front of alleyways,” said Katrina Breau, president of Voice of Albertans with Disabilities

This winter could see Edmonton’s transit stops and the pathways cleared quicker if over $5 million is approved by city council later this month. Right now, it could take up to 22 days for those areas to be cleared after a snowfall. 

Breau says that not only creates physical challenges, but emotional ones as well with many Edmontonians with mobility issues being unable to pay for private transportation.

“Many of these people are living on AISH or they don’t have additional extra benefits to pay for these services, so that becomes an additional part isolation for them, for a whole season,” said Breau.

Breau says she takes transit full-time, being unable to drive due to a disability. She says that in addition to long wait times for buses in the cold, snow clearing is only part of the issue that needs to be addressed.

“If the bus is on the other side, but there’s no means for you to get through because of plowing, and now put additional snow there for you, how do you get your wheelchair over that plowed creation to get access to that?”