Metro Vancouver mayor blasts B.C.'s snow response as 'failure,' demands action
The mayor of Delta, B.C. is adding his voice to the chorus of criticism about Metro Vancouver's snow response after drivers were stranded for hours on the region's roads, bridges and highways.
The bulk of the 10 – 15 centimetres of snow that fell last Tuesday came during the afternoon rush hour. Crashes, closures and chaos ensued.
In a letter to Transportation Minister Rob Fleming, George Harvie describes what happened as a "failure," laying the blame on the province.
"It is vital that the snow response plan for provincial highways and crossings of the Fraser River is sufficient and that the necessary resources are in place to prevent traffic gridlock and the failure of our provincial transportation system," the letter says.
"With increasing unpredictable weather patterns, B.C.'s provincial transportation network must have the necessary preparations in place with adequate resources for winter maintenance," Harvie wrote.
Delta’s mayor has two demands. First, he is calling for a review of B.C.'s contract with Mainroad Group, which is contracted to maintain the Lower Mainland's highways.
Second, he is asking the province to review the use of its emergency alert system, including the possibility of expanding it to include instances when major highways or bridges are closed. The system can currently be used to send a mobile alert to British Columbians about extreme weather events, a change that was ushered in after the deadly heat dome and devastating floods.
"Many Delta residents were stuck in gridlock on our provincial transportation network for upwards of nine or 10 hours. It is very concerning that, while the transportation network was failing, commuters were still continuing to try to enter the transportation system," Harvie writes.
"Effective use of this resource would deter people from entering the provincial transportation system and adding more traffic volume to an already failing system."
The letter comes as more snow is in the forecast for Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley.
PROVINCE RESPONDS
The Ministry of Transportation, in an email to CTV News, said it is currently working with the maintenance contractor to review the response "to determine if there are additional measures that can be taken in anticipation of future weather events."
Further, the ministry says it "expects" that municipalities in the region are doing the same and looking at "ways to improve."
Last Tuesday, according to the statement, all available resources were deployed both prior to and during the snowfall but the efforts to clear the roads were frustrated after semis, buses and other large vehicles spun out, stalled, and blocked roadways.
The Ministry of Emergency Preparedness, in an email, said weather-related alerts are reserved for situations in which there is "an immediate threat to life" but also that if and when a community that believes an alert is necessary can contact the province to request one.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Bob Cole, veteran CBC broadcaster and former voice of 'Hockey Night in Canada,' dead at 90
Bob Cole, legendary CBC broadcaster and former voice of Hockey Night in Canada, has died. He was 90.
Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction overturned by N.Y. appeals court
New York's highest court on Thursday overturned Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction, reversing a landmark ruling of the #MeToo era in determining the trial judge improperly allowed women to testify about allegations against the ex-movie mogul that weren't part of the case.
BREAKING Honda to get up to $5B in govt help for EV battery, assembly plants
Honda is set to build an electric vehicle battery plant next to its Alliston, Ont., assembly plant, which it is retooling to produce fully electric vehicles, all part of a $15-billion project that is expected to include up to $5 billion in public money.
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment that is banned at Queen’s Park.
CTE: Researchers believe widespread brain injury may contribute to veteran suicide rate
Researchers are working to better understand if some Canadian military veterans may be suffering from Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, also known as CTE -- a disorder previously found in the brains of professional football and hockey players after their death.
1 arrested in northern Alberta during public shelter order
Residents of John D'Or Prairie, a community on the Little Red River Cree Nation in northern Alberta, were told to take shelter Thursday morning during a police operation.
Secret $70M Lotto Max winners break their silence
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Remains from a mother-daughter cold case were found nearly 24 years later, after a deathbed confession from the suspect
A West Virginia father is getting some sense of closure after authorities found the remains of his young daughter and her mother following a deathbed confession from the man believed to have fatally shot them nearly two decades ago.
New deep-water channel allows first ship to pass Key bridge wreckage in Baltimore
The first cargo ship passed through a newly opened deep-water channel in Baltimore on Thursday after being stuck in the harbor since the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed four weeks ago, halting most maritime traffic through the city's port.