Snow plow operators in Mississauga quit following aggressive behaviour, violence from residents
It’s been a busy March for snow plow operators in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), but according to the City of Mississauga, it’s also been a violent one for some workers in the area.
In an email to CTV News Toronto, the city said there were eight reported incidents between residents and snow removal workers following a significant snowfall earlier this month, the majority of which included instances of residents trying to stop plows from entering their street and prevent snow being left in front of their driveways.
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
“The incidents included verbal abuse as well as damage to plow trucks by residents using their shovels to break lights and mirrors,” the city said.
The statement follows a letter issued by Ward 10 Coun. Sue McFadden after the early-March storm, in which she shared an email from the city that said a number of contractors had quit due to the abuse.
“As a result of the aggressive behaviour experienced during the last winter event, several staff resigned their position as they did not feel safe doing their job,” the email read.
Much of the GTA was struck by what’s known as “thundersnow” on March 3, a somewhat rare weather event that dropped as much as 30 centimetres of snow in some areas.
Ahead of another winter wallop, before McFadden’s letter was issued, she urged residents to be patient as driveway windrows were once again expected.
“With another 10 cm of snow expected and already on the way today, please demonstrate patience and understanding toward the city crews working to make the roads accessible,” she wrote.
She said Brampton and Caledon experienced “similar issues with residents stopping plowing operators,” and that arrests related to the behaviour were made in Milton and Oshawa. In the latter instance, police in Durham Region told CTV News Toronto that a man was charged with assaulting a snow plow driver after a pile of snow blocked his driveway.
For Peel police’s part, a spokesperson told CTV News Toronto that the service was not aware of any such reported incidents.
In Toronto, snow clearing efforts left much to be desired in some areas.
In one instance, a family accused the city of “negligence” after a man broke his ankle when he slipped on uncleared snow. In another, volunteers travelled to 30 different streetcar stops and cleared mountains of snow that had blocked access to public transit.
Ward 17 Coun. Shelley Carroll acknowledged people in Toronto are in “high dudgeon” about snow removal this year, but that any complaints should be formally submitted to the city.
“They’re not prepared to go through the normal complaint processes and every municipality in the GTHA goes to great pains in the fall to say, ‘We’re going to start snow plowing the first time it snows and if you have an issue here’s where to call and here’s how to get it addressed,’” she told NEWSTALK 1010’s Moore in the Morning on Thursday.
“There are ways to do that without just berating some guy who is certainly not the manager of this system.”
Carroll is one of two Toronto councillors who want staff to undertake a “comprehensive review” of the city’s snow clearing operations this winter, with a specific focus on preventing homeowners and maintenance staff from dumping ice and snow on sidewalks and bike lanes.
That joint motion will be considered by Toronto’s infrastructure and environment committee next week.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Police investigating shooting outside of Drake's Bridle Path mansion: source
Toronto police are investigating a shooting that took place outside of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion early Tuesday morning, a source tells CP24.
Canadian cadets rock mullets and place second at U.S. military competition
Sporting mullets, Canadian Armed Forces officer cadets placed second in an annual military skills competition in the U.S.
'It looked so legit': Ontario man pays $7,700 for luxury villa found on Booking.com, but the listing was fake
An Ontario man says he paid more than $7,700 for a luxury villa he found on a popular travel website -- but the listing was fake.
The Met Gala was in full bloom with Zendaya, Jennifer Lopez, Mindy Kaling among the standout stars
The Met Gala and its fashionista A-listers on Monday included Jennifer Lopez, Zendaya and a parade of others in a swirl of flora and fauna looks on a green-tinged carpet lined by live foliage.
There's actually no such thing as vegetables. Here's why you should eat them anyway
The rumours are true: Vegetables aren't real — that is, in botany, anyway. While the term fruit is recognized botanically as anything that contains a seed or seeds, vegetable is actually a broad umbrella term.
Noelia Voigt resigns as Miss USA, citing her mental health
Noelia Voigt, who was crowned Miss USA in November 2023, has announced she is resigning from her role, saying the decision is in the best interest of her mental health.
Highlights from the 2024 Met Gala exhibit: Sleeping Beauty would wake up for these gowns
Sure, she was a royal princess and all. But there’s no way Sleeping Beauty — either before or after her nap — ever had quite the fabulous wardrobe that’s been assembled at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Stormy Daniels is expected to appear at Trump's hush money trial on Tuesday
Donald Trump returns to the hush money trial Tuesday facing a threat of jail time for additional gag order violations as prosecutors gear up to summon big-name witnesses including porn actor Stormy Daniels.
Israeli forces seize Rafah border crossing in Gaza, putting ceasefire talks on knife's edge
Israeli tanks seized control of Gaza's vital Rafah border crossing on Tuesday as Israel brushed off urgent warnings from close allies and moved into the southern city even as cease-fire negotiations with Hamas remained on a knife's edge.