Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow is advocating for a new initiative this week that would implement a paid, civilian shovel brigade as a solution to the city's ongoing winter challenges. The proposal is inspired by a similar program recently employed in New York City, where residents were compensated to clear sidewalks following a significant snowstorm.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani highlighted the effectiveness of their emergency snow shoveling program, which allowed every sanitation worker to focus on snow plows and salt spreaders, effectively speeding up the city’s recovery from winter storms. "This emergency snow shovelling program is one that allows every single sanitation worker to be on the plows, to be on the salt spreaders, to get this city back up and running," Mamdani stated during the announcement. "These snow shovellers are the ones who supplement the work of the department."
Residents in Toronto have reacted positively to Chow’s proposal. One local expressed enthusiasm, saying, "I think that’s a great idea, why not?" Another resident echoed this sentiment, suggesting, "Why not? Try it, see if it works; if not, onto the next idea."
Mayor Chow believes that the snow shovelling program used by NYC can be effectively replicated in Toronto, where clearing sidewalks has been a persistent concern for residents. In a letter addressed to the executive committee, she emphasized the importance of learning from other cities and adopting best practices. “Cities do best when we learn from each other and adopt best practices from other cities. We now have the opportunity to engage our counterparts in New York City on their recent success with a paid relief snow shovelling program, and implement lessons learned right here in Toronto,” Chow wrote.
Councilor Brad Bradford, who is also a mayoral hopeful, acknowledged that compensating residents for shoveling isn’t a bad idea. However, he pointed out a significant concern: Toronto already allocates substantial funds for snow clearing, amounting to tens of millions each year. "There’s a combination of both the contracts and the in-house snow removal, and snow cleaning, and I think on both fronts the results speak for themselves," stated Bradford. "You still have sidewalks that were not effectively plowed, windrows that are blocking people in and making it difficult to navigate our neighborhoods... We’re not delivering the results, and Torontonians ought to demand better."
The letter from Mayor Chow called on City Council to direct city staff to develop a model for a paid surge capacity sidewalk shovelling program, aiming for it to be implemented as soon as possible and no later than the winter season of 2026-2027. The initiative seeks not only to address immediate winter inconveniences but also aims to foster community engagement and collaboration in maintaining public spaces during harsh weather conditions.
