The estimated population of the city has risen by 5.3% over the last year, based on a resumption of immigration as the pandemic’s grip weakened.
Updates from January, 2024 Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts
-
Kate
-
Kate
Went out for a walk just now. At almost every corner there was a lake – and not just at corners, also on some sidewalks, in spots where alleys emerge onto the street, and various random places as well. So warm for the time of year.
But there’s some blue high up in the sky and that feeling you get along your cheekbones that the weather’s turning, the wind picking up. By midnight, all that water will be freezing over.
Ian
Looks like a regular tropical vacation in those shots!
We’re already 1/3 of the way through January, and February always brings clearer skies as the days grow longer. It’s going to suck for a while longer but there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Nicholas
Another advantage of raised crosswalks is the water may pool but there’s usually a dry place for you to walk.
dhomas
All those tiny lakes are now tiny skating rinks in my neighbourhood. 🙂
Kate
-
Kate
The city will start a snow removal campaign Wednesday evening at 7. They need to get as much snow up as they can before it freezes in place, but this piece doesn’t address that, although mentioning we’re also expecting more snow this weekend.
rob
Is frozen snow even a challenge for snow plows and blowers? I imagine the hardness of the snow doesn’T affect those huge machines.
Kate
I’ve seen it happen that waterlogged snow faced with a sudden hard freeze can turn into semi-permanent features in the landscape.
Ian
I suspect part of the issue is that they don’t want to take the road up with it.
CE
I just watched them remove the show from my side of the street. the plows had to pass by more than usual (certainly much more than the other side of the street yesterday when it was mostly snow and slush) but they got most of it off the street and into the dump truck.
Ian
I used to live in a duplex facing the mouth of a commercial alley. The alley would get plowed and the snow mound would be left right in front of my place, getting bigger and bigger as teh plow passed once or twice a day. When it had gone through a good freeze cycle after about a foot of snow – like right now – by the time the street plows came around, they couldn’t budge it. I saw a grader take an aggressive approach once and gun it, and its back wheels lifted off the street on impact. In the end the crew brought in a backhoe to smash it up.
Less dramatically though, I have seen lots of instances where the ice slowly builds up in the gutters until the spring melt, especially if there is street parking. I get the general impression that getting right down to pavement is only really a priority for sidewalks and major thoroughfares, especially on streets with speed bumps and potholes.
-
Kate
In the “you can’t keep everyone happy all the time” department, 24heures asks why snow is cleared from bike paths. On a Park Ex Facebook group I occasionally read, there’s constant carping about bike paths and what an idiot Valérie Plante is to have them created and cleared, so I suppose 24heures is responding to this faction.
Mark Côté
Same in the NDG FB groups. An inordinate amount of griping that the city supposedly prioritizes clearing bike paths over anything else.
jeather
I feel it’s my god-given right to kvetch about things, including snow clearing, but I really do think the city does a pretty good job. Is this helped by the email I got saying that my street was being cleaned tomorrow? Maybe.
CE
Considering what a massive undertaking the process is, I’d say this city does a very good job at clearing the streets, sidewalks, street side parking, and bike paths.
carswell
The reason why the bike paths are cleared quickly is because there are so few kilometres of them compared to roads and sidewalks, so the dedicated equipment clears them fast. If drivers want bike paths to be cleared like streets, they should be lobbying for many more of them. 😉
Ian
Where there are physical dividers, the bike paths are cleared with the sidewalk plows and the snow isn’t carted away. Clearing the streets is a much bigger operation, with graders, snowblowers, and cartage trucks. The sidewalk plows are way more adaptable to different operations that don’t need to be as grand an affair.
Kevin
I wouldn’t mind so much if the sidewalks were cleared as quickly. Too often this year and last they have been neglected.
Tim S.
If it keeps cyclists off sidewalks, I’m all for it
-
Kate
The city has planned a budget of millions to buy and support police body cameras, but what happens next?
-
Kate
La Presse says Denis Coderre has his eye on leadership of the PLQ, which must choose a permanent chief next year.
Ian
“Yes hello, PLQ head office? The millstone you ordered for your collective neck is on its way. Wait what, you didn’t order a millstone?”
MarcG
Pretty sure we could easily bait this guy onto a one-way cruiseship somewhere nice…
carswell
Guess we’ll soon see whether the PLQ really does have a death wish.
Myles
It seems no amount of rejection will satisfy him.
SMD
A La Presse columnist talked to PLQ members and concluded that their view is : « On veut qu’il se présente, et on veut qu’il perde. »
-
Kate
One day after students returned to school, the messy snowstorm has closed some schools (outside of town, for the most part), besides causing power outages and flight delays.
The return to class has also been perturbed by a schoolbus strike.
Updating to add Radio-Canada’s report that at least one Montreal school has had an infestation of rats since the strike.
jeather
The schoolbus strike predates the teacher strike. My understanding is that the LBPSB has allowed all affected students a space (possibly paid, not sure) in before/after school care, but the EMSB has not, though they will now give parents 7$/day per missed day per child.
dhomas
It’s not the only school with rats. My wife’s school (EMSB) has had rats for some time. Nothing is done about it, unfortunately.
Ian
My college has mice … but rats? Wow.
Reply