Montreal’s major snow removal operation is underway, with crews hitting the streets Friday morning to clear the city following the latest snowfall, which brought about 14 to 17 centimetres over the past few days.
The city says it will pay particular attention to sidewalks and quickly remove parking restrictions once snow loading is complete.
A snow plow and truck clear snow in Montreal on Dec.12, 2025. (Martin Daigle, CityNews)
According to Environment and Climate Change Canada, Montreal currently has 18 centimetres of snow on the ground, up from just 3 centimetres.
“We have in total more than 3,000 employees on the ground and more than 2,500 trucks,” said Philippe Sabourin, spokesperson for the city.
Philippe Sabourin, spokesperson for the City of Montreal speaking to the press about the first snow operation of the year in Montreal on Dec. 12, 2025. (Martin Daigle, CityNews)
The city says the operation will take about four days, with all crews back on duty Saturday at 7 a.m. Officials are urging residents to cooperate to help the work move efficiently. Boroughs are authorized to begin snow removal immediately on reserved lanes, drop-off zones, school zones, and bike paths.
“Please move your car at the appropriate time,” said Sabourin. “Each time we’re losing time and it’s not efficient if we have to tow as much as 50 cars per hour.”
Residents can find alternative parking near their homes using the city’s website, which lists more than 1,000 free overnight spots.
Montrealers can track snow-removal operations in real time using the 311 Montreal app. A map to find free parking spaces is also available online.
