'You're stuck': People with accessibility challenges question snow removal practices

Officials with the Region of Waterloo say they were prepared for a winter storm that walloped much of southern Ontario Monday, less than a week after a messy ice storm hit Waterloo region.

People with accessibility challenges, however, say snow storms like this can often leave them feeling trapped as the build-up on sidewalks and roadways can take time to clear.

David Kuhn, former board chair at KW Accessibility, said there has been many times when he can not get to work because his access to pathways is blocked following a snowstorm.

"If you have to go out and go grocery shopping or you have an appointment that you have not already planned for, to book a ride or to book a way there through mobility plus or a taxi, you're stuck,” said Kuhn.

Kuhn wants to see all levels of government work to build better plans for addressing accessibility issues in the winter.

“If you want to leave your home, often times you can’t,” said Kuhn.

The snow and ice build-up can sometimes make it impossible to get groceries or get to appointments without a pre-planned alternative.

"If the sidewalks that lead toward transit stops and the intersections, if they're blocked, you're stuck," Kuhn said.

Grand River Transit says it usually waits 24 hours after the snow starts to clear the immediate area around its 2,500 stops.

“We just make sure that other parties have an opportunity to clear snow, and then we’re not just pushing snow back and forth to different areas,” said Neil Malcolm, assistant director at Grand River Transit.

The transit agency is not responsible for the sidewalks or connections to bus stops.

Last week's storm raised questions about who is responsible for clearing these areas.

A photo was shared on social media of a wheelchair user sitting on top of a snowbank at Grand River Transit stop.

“Certainly it’s not the kind of thing we want any of our customers to have to deal with," said Malcolm. "Certainly, At Grand River Transit, we endeavour to clear the stops as quickly as possible after the snowfall ends."

Sixteen plow trucks started clearing snow from regional roads Monday afternoon, with another shift set to take over at 3 a.m.

Staff said they have monitoring the weather closely, making sure enough staff are available to deal with all this snow, including making sure snow plows and salters are on city streets.

“These are big trucks that take space,” said Emil Marion, manager of transportation operations with the region. “They're out there trying to do the job, trying to clear the road. So give them room, stay back, don't try and pass them, and when you're driving, slow down, slow down to the conditions.”

Marion said generally the region maintains the major arteries throughout the region.