'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
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
U.S. Senate passes bill forcing TikTok's parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with big bipartisan vote
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.