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Back to SearchAn open letter to Morinville residents:
Morinville's Infrastructure Services Team is responsible for snow-clearing of more than 60 km of roadways and nine parking lots. They are often the first ones on the roads and understand how poor road conditions affect the daily commute. Heavy equipment operators work under challenging conditions and immense pressure to get things done quickly and safely for the community.
The Town's snow program relies on the direction provided by the Snow and Ice Control Policy, which defines the level of service to be delivered and sets thresholds for clearing snow on different street types. A recent policy review maintained the threshold for residential road clearing at 15 cm of compacted snow—balancing factors such as safety, cost, and community feedback. Roads may become more difficult to travel as snow levels approach the threshold.
The Town takes seriously its responsibility for providing a safe work environment while delivering the snow program. While frustration is understandable, it is no excuse for the abuse that is being levelled at Town staff while performing their duties. The following behaviours are unacceptable and will not be tolerated:
• Verbal harassment
• Threatening
• Physical altercations and abuse
• Physically impeding their work
Please give our employees room to do their work safely and treat them with respect. They are simply performing their duties as directed by our approved service levels. Our employees have been stopped in the streets while operating their equipment, only to be cursed at or have objects thrown at them. While causing distress and slowing road clearing progress, it is also creating an unsafe work environment. It is my legislated and moral obligation to ensure the safety of our staff – an obligation that I take very seriously. That is why I have asked that these incidents be reported, including those requiring intervention from Enforcement Services.
Many of our staff are members of this community, and it saddens me to have to share that they are experiencing harassment outside of the workplace. Several no longer feel comfortable going out in public to shop or pick up their children from school. I ask you to please be respectful of their personal time and use the proper channels to provide your concerns and feedback.
Resident feedback is welcomed and appreciated when provided respectfully and through the appropriate channels. The best way to connect with us or to report a concern related to snow and ice is by visiting: www.morinville.ca/concern. For additional information about Morinville's snow program, please visit our winter maintenance page at www.morinville.ca/snow.
Because of the feedback we have received to date, we will undertake a survey in the early spring. This will provide a forum for residents to express their feedback regarding the snow program.
Best Regards,
Naleen Narayan
Chief Administrative Officer