The melt, the clogs, and the flooded Winnipeg streets

Some Winnipeg homeowners spent the weekend trying to clear road drains on their flooded streets. Daniel Halmarson has more.

There are a lot more waterfront properties around Winnipeg these days. The annual spring freeze-thaw cycle is plugging road drains around the city and causing headaches for many homeowners.

Bridgwater resident Gurashish Singh spent part of his weekend hacking away at ice under nearly knee-deep water in an attempt to deflood his street. He said it took him and his neighbour almost two hours to clear the drain.

“By the time we were done, our feet were numb. I couldn’t feel my feet for the next 20 to 30 minutes,” Singh told CTV News on Monday.

Singh said he contacted 311 on March 19th to report the issue but later learned his request wouldn’t be fulfilled until March 30th. He added that repeated calls to city councillor Janice Lukes’ office went unanswered.

“I knew that I have to take matters in my hand. I took a shovel, whatever I had, I went inside the water and I start breaking the ice,” Singh told CTV News on Monday.

He shared a video of the ice clearing on Facebook and tagged Lukes in the post. She showed up at his house about 24 hours later but said she wasn’t necessarily there to apologize.

“The conversation was, why did I write that? I called her 15 times, and (she said) I tried to portray her image as someone who was inaccessible,” Singh said. “I feel that if I am paying property taxes, I need to be given those services which I am promised.”

In response, Lukes said Singh took the appropriate steps to address the problem but noted flooded streets are an issue in Winnipeg every spring.

She said the city’s ability to tackle drainage issues comes down to supply and demand. She said there are more than 60,000 drains in Winnipeg and only 19 steaming machines.

She added that city crews prioritize clearing based on potential for property damage, so she’s asking residents to help out if they’re able to.

“If you’ve got a problem, if the drain looks like it’s plugged, if you can, if you’re able to pour some hot water on it, go out with a little pick and pick away at it,” Lukes said.

She said residents should report drainage issues to the city through 311. She encourages people to include as much detail as possible—including photos—to help city inspectors assess the situation.