The Chatham-Kent Public Works Department is requesting the assistance of all residential property owners to add de-icing chemicals such as salt to treat slippery areas on the municipal sidewalks abutting their properties.
Municipal officials said in a press release in 2018, the province amended the ‘Minimum Maintenance Standards’ adding, among other new requirements, an obligation to salt sidewalks to prevent and treat ice.
The municipality does not currently salt sidewalks except in some downtown business areas, municipal officials said.
In order to meet the new obligation to salt sidewalks, the municipality has the option of either:
1. Increasing taxes to pay for this new service, or;
2. Pass a bylaw requiring landowners to salt the sidewalks that run adjacent to their properties.
Public Works will host a public information session early in 2019 to provide proposed service level options and receive comments from the public, municipal officials said.
The information gathered from the meeting will provide council with options to deliver sidewalk winter control service for the 2019/2020 budget.
“Until council makes a decision, the municipality will resume sidewalk snow plowing on all residential sidewalks and plowing and salting of all downtown business areas, as was done in past winter seasons, municipal officials said in a press release.
“Property owners and tenants are being asked to voluntarily treat ice on sidewalks abutting their properties.”
