There have been 33,805 vehicles towed during snow removal operations around Montreal this year, according to open data compiled by programer Pascal Robichaud.
During the winter of 2016-2017, 46,608 vehicles were towed, largely over the five snow removal operations throughout the season.
Montreal has already seen five operations this season. Were the winter to end today, it would mean 27 per cent fewer vehicles towed over the course of the season.
With there still being several weeks of winter, it is expected Montreal will see more snow and have to cart it away — and therefore see more vehicles towed.
Montreal averages some 6,000 cars towed per snow operation, according to data going back three years.
In comparing the months of December to the start of February this season versus December 1 2016 to February 21 2017, we can see overall more cars have been towed towed this year.
During the December to February period of 2016-2017, 22,016 vehicles were towed. During the course of December and January of this season, over 33,000 cars were towed.
That is an increase of over 52 per cent from last season to this winter during roughly the same time period, with over 11,000 more vehicles being towed during this season in a two-week shorter time span.
The Côte-des-Neige-Notre-Dame-de-Grâce has seen the most tows this season, accounting for 4,567 between December and February.
The Plateau-Mont-Royal and Ville-Marie boroughs placed second and third, with 4,087 and 3,657 vehicles towed this winter, respectively.
In 2015-2016, where Montreal saw less snow and the city conducted four snow removal operations, there were 26,357 vehicles towed.