People with mobility issues struggle to navigate sidewalks as cities rush to clear snow

TORONTO — When Liisa Nisula left her home in east Toronto for a medical appointment, the snow-covered sidewalks were so impassable for her walker that she was forced to go out into the street.

"I was using the road and like preparing myself to have an altercation with drivers," she said.

It got easier once she made it by transit to St. Michael's Hospital in the downtown core.

"This looks pretty good," the 66-year-old said, glancing at the plowed sidewalk on one of Toronto's main streets — a sharp contrast to the mounds of snow with narrow, slippery footpaths cutting through them on other sidewalks nearby.

"I was kind of expecting it to be good because it's a hospital," she said.

A couple of blocks away, Neil Thomas stood in the snow and slush piled on the corner of a side street.

The 62-year-old, who is temporarily homeless and staying at a shelter, said making his way on foot with his walking stick was "very rough."

It can be especially treacherous "if you don’t have the proper bottom on your stick (for traction)," Thomas said.

"Luckily I just had shoes given to me that fit right and have a very good grip on them,” he said, noting that he was on his way to the hospital's fracture clinic for a checkup after slipping on ice and breaking his shoulder three weeks ago.

In Montreal, 58-year-old MaryAnn Davis has been stuck in her home since last Saturday, unable to get to her volunteer position in palliative care.

”The thing is that they haven't done the sidewalks," she said in a telephone interview Wednesday evening.

"I've developed balance problems and I can't walk if the ground is uneven — even with a cane."

Back-to-back snowstorms in the last week dumped record amounts of snow in Ontario and Quebec, wreaking havoc on roads, sidewalks and driveways. The city of Toronto says it will be three weeks before the snow is fully cleared and a spokesperson for the city of Montreal said Wednesday it will take at least a week there.

Barbara Gray, Toronto's general manager of transportation services, said in an interview on Wednesday that the city is "very concerned about accessibility" and is prioritizing calls to its 311 customer service line from people — including those with disabilities and seniors — having difficulty getting around.

"We have that identified as an escalated response so that we could try to get crews there as quickly as possible to address their issues,” she said.

"The snow is not melting, so it's not sort of relieving on its own. And the snow's not really going to move unless we move it," Gray said. "We're trying to focus on accessibility for pedestrians, transit stops (and) crosswalks."

Rabia Khedr, national director of the advocacy group Disability Without Poverty, said the snow pileup is a huge barrier for people with mobility disabilities.

"Scooters, wheelchairs — unless driveways and walkways are cleared, they cannot get around,” she said.

But Khedr, who is blind, also pointed out that snow disrupts the lives of people with other types of disabilities as well.

”A fresh blanket of snow on my driveway and in my environment really impedes my independence," said Khedr, who lives in Mississauga, Ont.

People who are blind often rely on sounds to help orient themselves to where they are and what way they need to go, she said.

"(Snow) creates an eerie silence. It hushes the natural environmental sounds — like the sound of traffic becomes different ... everything gets muffled."

Dorothy Quon, vice-president for community care at WoodGreen — a non-profit organization in Toronto with programs for seniors, people with disabilities and people living in poverty — said they've managed to keep up essential services such as meal delivery, personal support worker visits, wellness checks and transportation for their clients.

She's concerned about vulnerable people as the aftermath of the snowstorms drags on.

"The worry is of course, for those who might have been able to manage for a few days (but) we're getting into possibly a week or two where it's very difficult to get around," Quon said.

"I think there is a risk for seniors who aren't connected that they could be in their homes really struggling and there may not be a connection that they have with somebody outside their homes to even flag that they're not coping."

Both Gray, from the city of Toronto, and Quon encourage people who are stranded by the snow to reach out to local services for help. Both Toronto and Montreal have 311 lines people can call.

Quon also encourages people to check in on seniors and others who may need assistance in their communities.

"There's only so much that the different agencies can do. It’s so much about, in these kind of times, also neighbours looking after each other and caring for each other."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 20, 2025.

Canadian Press health coverage receives support through a partnership with the Canadian Medical Association. CP is solely responsible for this content.

Nicole Ireland, The Canadian Press