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LETTER: Bylaws useless unless they are enforced

The clearing of sidewalks of snow and ice has been the poorest I can remember in Central Saanich.
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The clearing of sidewalks of snow and ice has been the poorest I can remember in Central Saanich.

Few seem to be aware of the section in the Central Saanich Traffic and Highways Regulation Bylaw No. 1535, 2006 section 37, page 13 Removal of Snow and Ice – “Owners and occupiers of real property shall remove snow or ice from the sidewalks bordering on their real property within 24 hours of the accumulation of such snow or ice.”

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Even more surprising are the businesses that do not bother to clear the snow from the sidewalks around their business - are they actively trying to prevent people from doing business with them?

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Not clearing sidewalks is bad enough but when a business within view of the municipal hall not only does not clear the sidewalk, they push the snow from their parking lot onto the sidewalk - it will be days before that part of the Wallace Drive sidewalk will be usable.

One would think Central Saanich bylaw enforcement would be enforcing the bylaws but apparently that is not the case. The public must file a complaint of a bylaw infraction.

If this section of the bylaw is not to be enforced, why have it?

Norm Ryder

Central Saanich