Montreal Starts Annual Cleanup to Remove Tons of Trash Revealed by Snowmelt

Montreal undergoes a spring cleaning ritual as the melting snow reveals months’ worth of litter, including cigarette butts, dog waste, and other refuse.

The city is gearing up its fleet of street sweepers, sidewalk washers, and cleaning crews to handle an estimated 50,000 tonnes of trash and gravel, a process that will take between four to six weeks.

According to spokesman Philippe Sabourin, certain cleaning operations are impossible during the colder months when snow and ice cover the roads, as Montreal is a “winter city.”

In recent years, Montreal has extended its spring cleaning efforts and has even employed some cleaning teams year-round.

Mayor Valérie Plante announced an additional investment of $6.2 million to fund initiatives like “flying brigades,” which are teams that will travel across the city to assist borough crews in cleaning up the mess.