After Winnipeg’s sudden thaw, slippery sidewalks create hazard for people with mobility issues

February 27, 2025 Canuck

Ice, ice baby — not just a popular ’90s song, but right now, an accurate description of the sidewalks in Winnipeg.

The sudden warm snap in recent days has caused a quick melt, leaving patches of ice and slush on many sidewalks.

Mary Jane Anderson, who lives in the Lord Roberts area and uses a cane to help her walk, said it’s tough to leave the house with the current conditions.

“They’re very slippery. There’s no sand on it that I can see. I don’t walk out, I just walk from here to Safeway,” said Anderson, referring to a grocery store a short distance from her home.

She’s seen a sidewalk plow going down her street a few times this winter, but thinks when the weather changes rapidly like this, more could be done.

“It is very treacherous,” she said. “You don’t have to plow it but [the city] could at least put sand down, make it a little safer for people.”

A woman in a pink winter jacket smiles as she stands outside. — Lord Roberts resident Marry Jane Anderson has mobility issues, and has a hard time getting around when the city’s sidewalks are icy. (Mike Arsenault/CBC)

Recently, city council’s public works committee reviewed what nine other Canadian cities do in terms of sidewalk clearing. That review found Winnipeg has the most snow accumulation in Canada, even though cities in eastern Canada receive more annual snowfall.

When Winnipeg gets a warm snap, the accumulated snow melts onto sidewalks and streets, leading to ice and slush.

The Manitoba League of Persons with Disabilities introduced its “S(no)w Plow” campaign last year, encouraging Winnipeggers to share pictures of snow barriers and uncleared sidewalks. Melissa Graham, the advocacy group’s executive director, said the goal is to draw attention to spots that might not be cleared properly.

A graphic with text encourages people to report icy sidewalks. — The Manitoba League of Persons with Disabilities S(no)w Plow campaign aims to draw attention to sidewalks in the city that haven’t been plowed by the city and are hazardous for people with mobility issues. (Manitoba League of Persons with Disabilities/Instragram)

“We have a contact at the city we can send them directly to,” Graham said. “They find that really helpful for training their operators, but it’s also really powerful for people that make decisions around our snow-clearing policy to see those photos and stories, and how they impact our community.”

Graham, who uses a wheelchair, thinks the city should update its snow-clearing policies to keep up with the mid-season thaws that are becoming more frequent, and make it difficult for people with mobility challenges to get around.

“It’s nice that we have this nice warm weather right now, but eventually that will probably freeze up again on us. And when it does, it’s going to create some really hazardous conditions on our sidewalk that maybe wouldn’t be there in the same way if we cleared some of that snow and slush off of our sidewalks,” she said.

“We’re a winter city, and that means we have the responsibility to make sure our winters are accessible for everyone.”

Graham said her organization didn’t receive many photo submissions this year, but the campaign keeps the conversation about accessible sidewalks going.

City policies for snow, ice

Michael Cantor, who manages street maintenance for the City of Winnipeg, said there was less compacted snow this year, and the swing in temperatures didn’t create as much ice on the sidewalks as in prior years. But the city’s policy on snow and ice are different, he said.

“We usually don’t push or remove the ice from sidewalks. We usually treat them with sand to improve traction and walking conditions,” said Cantor.

“And when it’s melting and you have puddles and lots of water on the sidewalks, it’s really not effective to apply any sand.”

A sidewalk is covered with melted snow and slush. — The city says it sands sidewalks to improve traction, but that’s not effective when the snow and ice begin to melt. (Mike Arsenault/CBC)

Cantor said the city’s snow-clearing policy is triggered when there’s five centimetres of accumulated snowfall. Priority 1 and 2 streets and sidewalks are plowed within 36 hours, after which the city moves to Priority 3 streets and sidewalks, which can take up to another 36 hours.

“Usually we don’t have these kinds of weather swings in the winter. So we hope for some freezing temperatures in the forecast, and to get it down below zero, and stabilize,” Cantor said.

Graham said the Manitoba League of Persons with Disabilities has done a lot of work with city operators, who she believes do the best job they can with the time and resources they have. But she thinks it’s time for a policy update.

“Everybody uses the sidewalks, whether you’re driving, whether you’re taking a bike, whether you’re a pedestrian. At some point, to get to where you’re going in the city, you’re going to be stepping on the sidewalk or wheeling on the sidewalk, however you do.”

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