By Corinne Impey
With the late arrival of winter, Ottawa snow plow companies have seen some benefits of little work for regular pay. But, the reality of losing clients and work to warmer weather has already taken affect.
Kent Paddie is the president of a landscaping company and secretary of the Ottawa Snow Contractors Alliance, a self-regulating group aimed at setting snowplowing standards. His company, Precision Landscape Group, removes snow for Ottawa residents, including many in the Centretown area.
Paddie says his company has benefited from the late snow fall in two ways — saving money on fuel and Tylenol.
“We get fewer headaches when it’s not snowing,” he says laughing.
But, the late season has also created some problems, says Paddie because even though many clients pay by the season, there are others who only call when the snow beings to fly.
So, with such a late snowfall many clients have not yet picked up the phone.
Clients who pay in advance are guaranteed snow removal from November to April, but they risk paying for a service that might not be needed.
Paddie says if clients wait and sign a contract late enough they will pay 15 to 20 per cent less than those who signed a full season contract.
With clients waiting until the last minute to sign, Paddie says less seasonal contracts are possible in the future.
But already, the late winter season is affecting some employees of removal companies. Matin Syed owns 24/7 Property Maintenance. His company’s snow removal services are also based on contracts.
Syed says the lack of snow has been especially unkind to employees because, despite the prepaid contracts, Syed hires staff on a need basis.
In most recent years, Syed has hired 25 snow-plowing staff, but this season Syed only has six on-call employees.
“No snow means no jobs,” says Syed.
He also says he has been hearing some complaints from clients who have paid for a service, but have not seen the need.
A standard residential contract costs about three hundred dollars, says Syed.
“People are asking themselves ‘what are we paying for?’” he says.
Jim Bronskill paid for a seasonal snow plow contract this winter. He says not much can be done about the recent weather.
“Global warming notwithstanding, the weather is out of our control,” he says.
Bronskill is president of the tenants’ association at 514 Lisgar St.
The group members all contribute money to a common maintenance fund for area upkeep. Part of the money goes towards snow removal.
Despite the lack of snow, Bronskill is not complaining.
“There will be years when the service pays for itself,” says Bronskill.
He says snow removal is like life insurance, you cannot guarantee that you’ll need it, but it’s best to have it just in case.
And unless global warming accelerates, he says people will recognize the need for snow removal services.
Paddie agrees.
“We do live in Ottawa.”