Montreal Announces Pothole Repair Blitz

Montreal city officials announced plans Tuesday to launch an urgent pothole repair blitz in the coming days, aiming to address the severe damage plaguing roadways after one of the worst winters for such issues since 2018.

Claude Pinard, chair of the city's executive committee, described the state of the streets as "catastrophic" during a news briefing. The initiative follows a January warm spell that accelerated pothole formation across the city, leaving drivers to navigate hazardous conditions. To expedite repairs, the city awarded 10 contracts worth approximately $500,000 to three companies without public tenders. The agreements require work to be completed within eight days but do not specify a target number of potholes to be filled.

The problem has drawn widespread attention, including from Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada. Earlier this week, she shared a social media video from beside a tow truck on Notre-Dame Street East, where she had just experienced two flat tires after hitting a large pothole on her way home Monday night. In an interview on 98.5 FM, Martinez Ferrada called driving conditions in Montreal "downright dangerous," particularly at night, emphasizing that the...