Snow removal causing damage to some residential trees
The snow continues to fall in Winnipeg and crews are hard at work keeping streets clear, but some residents are concerned about what is being left behind when crews leave.
Debbie Ristimaki lives in Bridgwater. She said during the city’s latest snow-clearing effort a mound of snow was piled up around a tree in her front yard, leaving behind some damage.
“These branches…this whole front end is gone now,” said Ristimaki. “We’ve never had (damage) to this extent in the past.”
Winnipeg has received close to 100 centimeters of snow in the past three months, and boulevards, side streets and back lanes are starting to fill up.
Ristimaki said snow removal crews have been pushing snow and ice onto her front lawn.
“You try to maintain your property, you want to take care of the trees,” said Ristimaki. “(The city wants to plant) a million trees, but we don’t do enough to take care of the trees we have.”
City Councillor for Waverley West Janice Lukes said she has received many calls from residents in her ward who are concerned about high snow piles and damage to trees.
“There has been some damage to some trees, branches have been broken off, there have been some nicks into some trunks of trees,” said Lukes.
Lukes said in the last city budget a lot of money was put towards maintaining and planting trees in Winnipeg.
She said protecting trees while removing snow is one of the challenges of living in a winter city.
“In some of these newer neighbourhoods where we’ve got smaller lot sizes, it’s incredibly difficult to store the snow, and the trees are feeling the stress,” said Lukes.
Tree damage has been an issue in other areas as well.
Transcona City Councillor Shawn Nason has noticed some broken branches due to snow clearing, but said crews have been working hard to keep streets clean.
“Individuals are working some unheavenly hours, 14 plus hour days trying to keep our streets moving and in safe condition, it’s a difficult balancing act,” said Nason.
Ristimaki would like to see the snow carted away, instead of piled up on lawns and boulevards.
“I get there’s challenges, this year in particular, but there has to be a better way, and I think taking it away is perhaps the way to go,” said Ristimaki.
The city said it will be addressing high snow piles and hauling away snow in the coming weeks.
The forestry department said if a tree is damaged on city property call 311, and if a tree is damaged on private property, make a property damage claim on the city’s website.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Alice Munro, Nobel literature winner revered as short story master, dead at 92
Nobel laureate Alice Munro, the Canadian literary giant who became one of the world's most esteemed contemporary authors and one of history's most honoured short story writers, has died at age 92.
Latest updates on air quality alerts, and when the smoke may reach Ontario and Quebec
Wildfires have led Environment Canada to issue air quality advisories for parts of B.C., Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories, as forecasters warn the smoke could drift farther east.
Are these Canada's best restaurants? Annual top 100 list revealed
The annual list of Canada's top restaurants in the country was just released and here are the places that made the 2024 cut.
Attack on prison van in France kills 2 officers, inmate escapes
Armed assailants killed two French prison officers and seriously wounded three others in an attack on a convoy in Normandy on Tuesday and an inmate escaped, officials said.
Steal a car, lose your driver's licence for 10 years under new Ontario proposal
Repeat car thieves may face lengthy licence bans under proposed changes to Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act.
$1.6B parts plant for Honda electric vehicle batteries coming to Niagara Region
A Japanese company has announced it will build an approximately $1.6-billion plant in Ontario's Niagara Region that will make a key electric vehicle battery component as part of Honda's supply chain in the province.
B.C. brings in law on name changes on day that child killer's new identity revealed
The BC NDP have tabled legislation aimed at stopping people who have committed certain heinous acts from changing their names.
Manitoba premier to visit areas impacted by wildfire
Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew will get a close-up look at the devastation from a large wildfire burning in northern Manitoba Tuesday.
1 killed, 3 injured including toddler, after Hwy. 417 crash in Ottawa
Ontario Provincial Police are responding to a fatal collision involving two vehicles on Highway 417 in Ottawa's west end on Tuesday morning.