Snow could affect public works

Roger Varley, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A street in Uxbridge after last weekend’s storm. Photo by John Cavers

Depending on one's point of view, this winter has been either terrible or wonderful because of the amount of snow that has fallen.

Although there are no records kept by the township, most would agree the township has had a lot of the white stuff since winter started. The Cosmos asked the public works department if it could give any sense of how much snow Uxbridge has had.

In reply, Sierra Miller, Strategic Planning & Communications Officer, said the township cannot provide even an average figure on snow accumulation because the township comprises several hamlets at varying distances. However, Miller did say there has been a "significant" increase in the hours that works department crews have been on the job.

She provided figures for winter patrol hours for the last three years, and the numbers for this winter are telling

Covering hours from approximately early November to mid-January (regular and overtime) the numbers show that in 2023-24, crews logged 2,276.15 hours on winter patrol. In 2024-25, that increased to 2,745.76 hours. For 2025-26, that number increases to a staggering 5,290.05 hours.

All those hours, combined with a severe shortage in road salt, could have an adverse effect on the department's budget, although it does have a reserve fund.