HRM isn’t effectively managing its winter operations: auditor general

A pedestrian makes their way through a winter storm as high winds and heavy snow blanket Halifax, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darren Calabrese (Darren Calabrese/The Canadian Press)

The Halifax Regional Municipality is not managing the winter well, according to a Management of Winter Operations Audit.

In a news release Wednesday, HRM’s auditor general said Public Works relies on informal monitoring in its assessment of municipal performance.

“Without adequate monitoring it is impossible to know what value HRM is getting for its winter service delivery,” said Andrew Atherton.

The audit found snow-clearing contract terms were acceptable, but without accurate monitoring, management cannot assess compliance, said the release. It found public complaints about snow-clearing were closed without analyzing performance trends.

The audit showed management does not know the cost of winter operations since some of them are “captured” in other HRM business units.

“Not knowing the total costs may limit HRM’s ability to make appropriate resource allocation decisions,” Atherton said.

The report included recommendations to improve seasonal planning, hazard assessment and training, so the city can identify and manage snow-clearing risks.

HRM management has agreed to implement the 13 recommendations in the report, said the release.

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