Mother Nature buries Ottawa's snow clearing budget

A pedestrian makes their way across an intersection as snow falls in the nation's capital, in Ottawa, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023. (Adrian Wyld/THE CANADIAN PRESS)

Mother Nature buried the city of Ottawa's snow clearing budget in the first three months of the year.

The roads winter maintenance department posted a $13.8 million deficit in the first quarter, due to the increased snow accumulation and winter operations required to keep roads and sidewalks clear of snow and ice.

A report for the finance and corporate services committee shows the city received 221 cm of snow in the January to March period, 31 per cent higher than the five-year average of 168 cm.  Staff say the city also saw increased freezing rain hours and a 15 per cent increase in freeze-thaw cycles.

"These severe weather conditions resulted in significant operational costs associated with maintaining the road, sidewalk and pathway networks."

Several snowstorms hit Ottawa through the winter, including 26.3 cm of snow on Jan. 12-13, 26.2 cm of snow on Jan. 25 and 26, 18 cm of snow on Jan. 29, 14.8 cm of snow on Feb. 17 and 15.6 cm of snow on Feb. 23.

Ottawa's winter operations budget is $85.8 million for this year. The 2023 budget included an additional $3.5 million to help the city maintain roads, sidewalks and pathways in the winter.

The Public Works budget, which covers several areas including winter maintenance and waste collection, was $82 million for the first three months of the year, with the report showing the department actually spent $99 million. Solid Waste posted a $1.759 million deficit.

The report for the finance and corporate services committee meeting on June 6 says the winter weather was the main reason for the city posting a $13.5 million deficit in the first three months of the year.

"These expenditures were significantly mitigated through savings across all other departments to reduce the overall deficit impact," the report says.

Emergency and Protective Services posted a $738,000 surplus due to higher than anticipated parking fines and business license revenues, along with lower overtime and vacancies at Ottawa Fire Services. Staff say the Community and Social Services Department posted a $604,000 surplus, Finance and Corporate Services posted a $693,000 surplus and Planning, Real Estate and Economic Development posted a $2.7 million surplus.

Staff say the Recreation, Cultural and Facility Services department posted a $99,000 deficit due to a shortfall in registration and membership revenue.

A report for the Transit Commission earlier this month said OC Transpo posted a $3.9 million deficit in the first quarter of the year due to lower ridership.

Rate supported services

Ottawa's water and wastewater services posted a $1.51 million deficit in the first three months of the year.

Staff say the deficit was due to lower revenues for wastewater and stormwater services and chemical pressures for drinking water services.