'A few inches of snow should not shut down the entire region': Metro Vancouver politicians call for regional meeting, strategy
Two Metro Vancouver municipal politicians are calling for a so-called "snow summit" to try to prevent a repeat of the chaos that unfolded Tuesday where routine commutes became hours-long ordeals.
Surrey councillor Linnda Annis and New Westminister councillor Daniel Fontaine are calling for municipal leaders, the provincial government, transit operators and road contractors to come together to create a region-wide plan.
Annis, in a statement, said she was among the thousands stuck in gridlock as crashes, closures and conditions brought traffic to a standstill. Her trip from downtown Vancouver to her home in South Surrey reportedly took upwards of nine hours.
"A few inches of snow should not shut down the entire region, but it became clear on Tuesday afternoon when the snow started to fall that things were only going to get worse,” Annis wrote.
“The gridlock spread so quickly and suddenly that we were all trapped in our cars for hours as the weather and traffic got worse. How do other regions across Canada and the United States that get much more snow than us keep going, and what can we learn going forward? We have to get better at this."
For his part, Fontaine said the snow was not unexpected, with weather warnings issued days in advance.
"The impact was a complete shutdown that closed roads and bridges and really brought much of the Lower Mainland to a complete halt. I think it’s important to know why, and to work on a regional plan that does better next time," he said in a statement.
The region saw overall accumulations of between 10 and 20 centimetres, with the heaviest snowfall starting in the late afternoon. Snowplows and salt trucks also got caught up in the gridlock, stalling clearing efforts.
But Fontaine told CTV News he doesn’t believe that timing alone was to blame.
“We’ve had snow storms that hit us at rush-hour before and we’ve been able to manage it,” said Fontaine. “Something was unique, something happened this week which resulted in us losing many of our main arterials, and I want to have answers to that question.”
The two councillors propose that the summit be chaired by Delta Mayor George Harvie, who is the current chair of Metro Vancouver, and Transportation Minister Rob Fleming. A "candid" reckoning with what exactly went wrong will be on the agenda, Annis and Fontaine said, but the ultimate goal would be planning for how to improve the regional response.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Air quality advisories issued in 5 provinces, 1 territory
Air quality advisories are in effect across Western Canada as smoky conditions plague some areas, according to the latest forecasts. Here's where.
Just how bad are ultraprocessed foods? Here are 5 things to know
Many foods fall under the category of ultraprocessed foods, depending on their exact ingredients. This type of food has been studied a lot lately, and the results aren’t great.
Steve Buscemi punched in the face while walking in N.Y.C.
Hollywood actor Steve Buscemi has been treated for injuries after being punched in the face while walking in New York City.
No refund for travellers who cancelled flight already scrapped by airline: regulator
Four years on, the controversy over whether airlines owed refunds to passengers after cancelling hundreds of thousands of flights during the pandemic continues to simmer, aggravated by a sluggish, opaque complaints process.
opinion Harry and Meghan's Nigerian adventure: traditional attire to warm welcomes
For her latest column on CTVNews.ca, royal commentator Afua Hagan writes about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's recent visit to Nigeria, calling it a 'deeply meaningful campaign' that was about aligning their ongoing efforts to foster mental-health awareness and promoting the Invictus Games.
Ontario's need for nurses, PSWs to top 33K and 50K by 2032: document
Ontario will need 33,200 more nurses and 50,853 more personal support workers by 2032, the government projects — figures it tried to keep secret but were obtained by The Canadian Press.
No concert ticket? No problem — Swifties can still gather at 'Taylgate' in Toronto
Whether you were lucky to nab tickets to one of Taylor Swift's six sold-out Toronto concerts in November or not, a new 'fan experience' hopes to get you into the party spirit.
'Oh my God, you're my brother': Man in his 70s discovers 6 unknown siblings
After receiving a DNA kit one Christmas from his son-in-law, Hugh McCormick soon discovered that he had six unknown siblings, with whom he shared the same birth parents.
DEVELOPING Michael Cohen takes the stand as testimony in Trump hush money case enters 4th week
The star prosecution witness in Donald Trump's hush money trial is set to take the stand Monday with testimony that could help shape the outcome of the first criminal case against an American president.