Montreal will begin carting away this weekend's record-breaking dumping of snow starting at 7 p.m. on Sunday.
"Clearing operations are taking place in the territory and will continue for several hours," Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante said in a statement. "I urge citizens to be cautious in their movements and even to defer them if possible. We are living a special winter and City staff are doing their utmost to provide services adapted to the various conditions encountered. I would like to emphasize their work and their ability to adapt to the circumstances."
It is expected to take five days to once again clear all of Montreal's 10,000 km of roads and sidewalks. The City usually budgets five days for removal for any snowfall above 30 cms, according to spokesman Philippe Sabourin.
"For the operation to proceed safely, we encourage the public to be cautious when approaching snow removal vehicles," said Verdun borough Mayor Jean-François Parenteau, the city council member responsible for services to citizens. "We also ask motorists to respect the parking bans that will be on the territory in the coming hours to allow teams to load the snow as quickly as possible."
Residents can consult the City of Montreal website or use the mobile application Info-Neige MTL to check when their street will be cleared.