How a century-old Montreal invention changed snow removal in the city

The snow removal crews in Montreal are facing an unprecedented challenge this week. Two massive storms back to back have left over 70 centimetres of snow to clear, the most in a four-day period on record according to Environment and Climate Change Canada. The size of the snowbanks is so significant that the snowblower will need to pass two or even three times to fully clear one side of a street.

Despite the daunting task at hand, the city crews are equipped with much more powerful machines than in the past. In the early 20th century, the city had to rely on horse-drawn plows, and at times only people with shovels to clear away the snow. In some cases, snow removal was not even attempted, as archival photos show. Smaller city streets and rural roads were often closed to traffic throughout the winter months in the late 1920s and beyond.

Residents in Montreal were responsible for clearing the sidewalk in front of their houses and the roads until the early 1900s when the city took charge. Labourers were hired to shovel snow for 25 cents an hour, and it was taken away in horse-drawn carts. The first snowblower to clear the streets was invented by Arthur Sicard in 1928. Attached to the front of a truck, the snowblower was capable of blowing snow more than 25 metres. Sicard sold his first snowblowers to Montreal and Outrement in 1927.

The rise of the automobile in the 20th century increased the pressure on snow removal crews to clear the streets more quickly. By 1962, Montreal city director J.-V. Arpin noted the immense challenge of clearing the streets for over a million people in the city centre each day, including 350,000 in automobiles.

Today, with roughly 800,000 personal vehicles registered on the island, the expectation is even greater for quick and efficient snow removal. Mayor Valérie Plante has urged patience from residents as crews work tirelessly to clear the historic amount of snow.

Yves Laberge, a historian and sociologist, emphasized the importance of remembering the struggles of the past and how Canadians have always been able to deal with harsh winter conditions. Winters have always been a challenge, but it is a part of Canadian identity to overcome these obstacles. The history of snow removal in Montreal is a testament to the ingenuity and resilience of Canadians in the face of winter’s fury.