The cost of snow removal has skyrocketed in the Town of Riverview.
The community is currently divided into ten zones with eight plowed by the town, while the other two are contracted out.
Director of Engineering and Public Works Michel Ouellet says the cost through Birch Hill Construction for 2022 to 2023 is $ 110,250.00 + HST, an increase of almost 50 percent since 2017.
Councillors voted in favour of awarding the tender for one year.
“To re-evaluate this service come budget time in October or November this year and come up with a solution by the next budget season,” Ouellet says.
The previous contract with Birch Hill Construction was approved in 2017 for five years.
Ouellet says there are a number of factors behind the increase, “It’s the cost of fuel, cost of repairs, cost of buying the equipment. We have a bit more control with our collective agreement so the cost of the actual labour force itself is a bit more under control, but there are so many other cost factors.”
This cost does not include hauling away snow, which is under a different price arrangement, using as much of the Town’s equipment as possible.
Ouellet says they’ll examine whether plowing all ten zones in the Town of Riverview would be more cost-effective than hiring a Contractor for just two zones.
