Ontario is home to large salt mines. Only one of the mines produces about 7.25 million tons of salt every year, but it has the capacity to produce 9 million tons.
Despite this, many municipalities across Ontario are facing a lack of road salt supplies as winter conditions persist.
In London, city officials said that early preparation ahead of the winter season has helped soften the impact; however, operational adjustments are still necessary amid province-wide supply pressures and the extended extreme cold.
“This year we had full, if not excess, salt storage heading into the winter season,” said the City of London’s division manager of road operations, Joel Gillard.
Gillard also said that the municipality based its inventory on seasonal averages, the previous year’s usage and remaining stock from past winters.
“With the deep cold temperatures we’ve had, regular salt and anti-icing techniques don’t typically work.” Said Gillard, “We’ve increased the volume of plowing, engaging our road plows — almost an increase of about 30 units on the road.”
But while residential streets remain mostly snow-packed, main routes have been the biggest challenge for the City.
“The main challenge day-to-day is the lack of being able to use salt at minus twenty temperatures, and staff availability — making sure they’re getting rest while working extreme hours.” He added
The City says it’s keeping residents informed through online updates, social media, and its winter operations website, london.ca/snow.
Road salt truck – Credits: JerzyGórecki (https://pixabay.com/photos/weather-ice-blizzard-plow-way-3920570/)
