Snowstorm and reduced mobility: “In reality, people don't think about us! ”

Last February, Montreal experienced an unprecedented situation. In three days, the city received nearly 75 cm of snow, an exceptional phenomenon not seen since the 1950s, according to Valérie Plante, the mayor of Montreal. This record, the result of a series of heavy storms, froze the city's streets. But the thick snow cover also revealed deep inequalities among residents.

February 25th. As darkness falls over Montreal's streets, the sound of snow plows and the gentle hum of light rain can be heard. The atmosphere is calmed by the soft melting of snow accumulated during the last two icy storms. Paths have been dug into the recently buried streets and sidewalks of Montreal. People are happily showing their faces after several days hidden indoors... But for some, the relief is bittersweet.

As we walk the streets of Montreal to assess the situation, a woman walking with a cane stops us. She asks if the path we just took is safe. If she falls, she says, she might not get up. Like her, many Montrealers move with difficulty.

Snow After Snow, Homes are crumbling

March 1st. Nemours, 86, lives on the outskirts of Ahuntsic. He has gentle eyes, marked by time, a benevolent smile, and salt-and-pepper hair. Retired, he finds his balance in long daily walks and periods of contemplation at church. These simple habits punctuate his life, offering him tranquil days. But in recent weeks, his well-oiled routine has been disrupted.

"These storms bothered me a lot. My daily routine was no longer the same. My activities were immobilized," he testifies in a calm but troubled voice. "I couldn't leave my home, without assistance, until the sidewalks were cleared."

Ordinarily, Nemours walks to the grocery store and pharmacy. But this time, the snow and ice make outings too hazardous. He now depends on his church sisters to bring him food and necessities. So he waits, isolated at home, for the city to regain some semblance of accessibility.

Nemours tried to clear his balcony and parking space himself. After the first storm, he sought help, but in vain. So he shoveled himself, at the risk of injury, which eventually happened, he tells us. While trying to lift the snow, he hurt his back. It was only after the second storm that he finally received help from his children.

These unfortunate episodes remind him that maintaining his home, his refuge since arriving in Canada in 1974, is becoming a daily struggle. Each storm pushes him more and more towards an idea he has avoided for years: leaving his home for a seniors' residence.

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Stuck by Snow, Deprived of Essential Resources

March 3rd. On the other side of the city, these accessibility problems are identical for people with reduced mobility, like Avi Karp, who lives in Île-Bizard. As the New Democratic Party (NDP) representative for people with disabilities, he advocates for a more inclusive society.

With a cheerful voice and an easy laugh, he readily admits that the recent storms are completely unprecedented. An unprecedented mess and never-before-seen chaos, in his own words. Due to a lack of options, insufficient workforce, and inadequate planning, streets and sidewalks are used improperly, leading to risks for everyone.

"I'm okay walking to the grocery store if I really need to. But what about people who can't? Those in wheelchairs who are stuck in their apartments, those who are retired and don't have much, if any, money to spend on their basic needs... Especially with the cost of living being so high. I think of those people."

Avi relies on food banks. However, with the amount of snow that fell, no food deliveries have occurred for days. For those who, like him, depend on these services and have disabilities, this can be very problematic, especially if they live alone or have no support.

March 3rd. On the Plateau, where one might think the situation is better, the reality is no rosier. Parking spaces for people with reduced mobility are turned into snow dumps to free up parking lots, and accessibility ramps are buried and forgotten under the snow. Many Montrealers are thus forced to remain at home, hoping to have enough resources to meet their needs.

This is what Allie Pauld, a content creator and disability activist, discusses in one of her recent educational videos published on Instagram: "Many people with disabilities risk being confined to their homes for weeks, which means having to ration their food and pay exorbitant prices for essential deliveries."

As for Allie, her father warns her whenever an extreme weather event is about to occur, which allows her to prepare and stock her apartment with food, hygiene products, and everything else needed to cope. Thus, she stayed at home from mid-February until the end of the month, waiting for the storms to pass and the city to finally become accessible again.

Forced Isolation: When Accessibility Fails

But what about people who have no support or loved ones to warn them and help them prepare for these extreme conditions?

Avi acknowledges that he is privileged. When people with reduced mobility are stuck at home, they are cut off from their loved ones, friends, family, partners, or organizations they depend on, he reminds us. "I have in-person support systems, by phone, by internet... Things like that. But again, if you're retired or have a disability, if you have a modest income, these resources are sometimes simply inaccessible."

Snow, Obstacles, and Indifference: Whose Responsibility?

Allie, for her part, wishes that Montreal residents understood how crucial the issue of accessibility is. 

This is her third winter in the city, and like every year, it's a struggle. Her building's maintenance worker takes care of shoveling the stairs and clearing a path to the sidewalk. The city, meanwhile, handles sidewalk snow removal. But between the two, no one clears the path between the access ramp and the curb. The maintenance worker believes it's the city's responsibility, while the city thinks it's the maintenance worker's job. Allie thus finds herself with an inaccessible access ramp and a wheelchair stuck in the snow. 

"Many consider these amenities as extra spaces they can use when they feel like it, for their amusement. In reality, they meet essential needs and were obtained through the arduous efforts of those who absolutely need them," adds Allie, visibly upset. 

Other important infrastructures, like bus ramps, can only be used if the space is clear. Too often, authorities do not bother to clear these stops, making them unusable for people using wheelchairs, like Allie. 

Having limited, or even impossible, access to public transport during winter, she still pays full fare, like everyone else, for her OPUS card. The services are not adapted to her needs, and no one seems to take responsibility for this lack of inclusivity. 

"People think that because we have reduced mobility, we never go out in bad weather. But we still have to go shopping, buy shampoo, go to work, pick up our children from school... We have the same needs and responsibilities as everyone else, except our needs are not taken into account. In the end, we fall through the cracks of the system, where no one takes responsibility for supporting us."

Snow Removal in Montreal: An "Extremely Important Human Rights" Service

According to Craig Sauvé, municipal councilor in the Sud-Ouest borough for over 10 years, the city of Montreal practically bordered on a state of natural disaster during the recent storms, and people must take this into account. 

He acknowledges the challenges of snow removal but emphasizes that financial and logistical constraints limit the city's capacity to act. 

"When we conduct regular snow removal operations for 15 cm accumulations, it costs the City of Montreal approximately $25 million. It mobilizes about 3,000 employees, sometimes even 3,500. There are about 400 tow trucks that move cars to clear lanes. So it's a very large operation. And the storm we just had was huge," he reminds us. 

When asked if the city received complaints about winter accessibility, he frankly and directly answered in the affirmative. 

Groups like Ex aequo and the Regroupement des activistes pour l’inclusion au Québec (RAPLIQ) are indeed very concerned about the issue. The city has received complaints and letters from pressure groups regarding seasonal and general accessibility, which Mr. Sauvé describes as healthy and useful pressure. "It pushes public works officials to remain vigilant and improve their services." 

Craig Sauvé's discussions with seniors and people with reduced mobility or impaired vision have allowed him to see how significantly the harshness of the climate can affect their lives in a very short time. 

"There is room for much improvement," he concedes. "Snow removal is an extremely important basic human rights service in Montreal." 

Priority zones have now been added for snow removal, particularly in front of seniors' residences, hospitals, clinics, public spaces, daycares, schools, school zones, bus stops, and main arteries. These priorities are being implemented and are improving, he believes.

A Systemic Problem

With the events of early winter, Allie hopes that the recent weeks will act as a wake-up call. "In reality, they never think of us!" she exclaims. "No one takes responsibility for accessibility, because everyone thinks it's someone else's job."

Accessibility is not limited to travel or public transport; it is linked to all aspects of daily life. "When people with reduced mobility explain that they cannot go to most cafes, live in most apartments, or buy a house due to lack of accessibility, we are told that it's our body that isn't functioning as it should, that it's a personal problem. But in reality, it's a real issue that should be taken seriously and resolved."

Accessibility should not be a luxury but a fundamental right, and Allie, Avi, and Nemours insist on this point during our conversations. For these three citizens, it is inconceivable to consider as a favor or an exception what should be a norm. It is not a matter of comfort or convenience, but rather a matter of dignity, autonomy, and freedom.

NB: Some of these interviews have been translated from English to French.

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