The City of Regina could see changes to its winter maintenance policy if proposed updates are approved at the next City Council meeting.

The recommendations include snow clearing on residential roads and a sidewalk-clearing bylaw. Public works is also hoping to see an upgrade to classifications of roads that carry more than 1,500 vehicles a day, as Category 3 roads, or major collector roads, where plowing would happen within 48 hours of a 10-cm snowfall.

Seasonal Roadways Operations Manager, Tyler Bien says that these changes have been in the works for a while.

“The Winter Maintenance Policy was implemented in 2007, and we have been asked to do a policy review so that we can ensure the Winter Maintenance Policy aligns with the official community plan and the Transportation Master Plan,” said Bien. “So that’s what we’re trying to do here.”

Other proposed changes include clearing all residential roads after snowfalls of more than 15 cm, opposed to the 25 cm required now. As well as plowing all sidewalks adjacent to transit stops.

Bien says that a recent survey was helpful in seeing how people feel about snow removal in the city.

“There was general satisfaction with the current levels of service, it showed that 51.5 percent of the respondents were satisfied with the ice control and plowing on major roads,” said Bien. “58.9 percent are not in favour of increasing taxes to enhance snow removal.”

If changes are approved at city council, they will be discussed during the 2021 budget process and wouldn’t be in effect until November of 2021