By: Michael Bennett, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Ridgetown Independent News
Contrary to rumours that were flying around social media, there is no shortage of road salt in Chatham-Kent. While there is a shortage of road salt in Ontario, it is not a problem in Chatham-Kent.
The Municipality issued a media release on the afternoon of Monday, Jan. 26, stating that the Public Works department was aware of the current provincial salt shortage and was closely monitoring the situation. The media release stated that Chatham-Kent is in a good position with its salt inventory and there is no immediate concern regarding the municipality’s ability to maintain winter road operations.
Eric Labadie, Chatham-Kent’s Manager of Corporate Communications, said rumours that have been rampant on social media that municipal public works yards have run out of salt are unfounded. “We’re currently in a good place with our salt levels, and we have been working with our contractor to ensure a good supply is maintained throughout the course of the winter season,” Labadie said in an email. This approach, Labadie said, allows the municipality to respond effectively to winter weather events while continuing to prioritize road safety across urban and rural areas.
Chatham Ward 6 Councillor Alysson Storey brought the issue to the Monday, Jan. 26, Council meeting during non-agenda business, asking administration to clarify the road salt situation after receiving messages from concerned residents.
“Thanks for the question and the opportunity to clarify some of the misinformation that’s out there on social media,” said Edward Soldo, Chatham-Kent Manager of Engineering & Infrastructure. “We do not have a salt shortage,” he declared.
While Chatham-Kent recognizes there is a provincial shortage, Soldo said working with suppliers has allowed the municipality to stock up on salt, including a large pile at the Kent Centre that is a back-up for the other Public Works shops. “We get loads on a weekly basis,” said Soldo, adding the municipality received 500 tons on Jan. 23 and Jan. 26.
Soldo also talked about how salt is ineffective when temperatures fall below a certain level, as keyboard warriors on social media were critical that salt was not being applied in recent days. “Tonight we have an extreme weather warning, we’re anywhere between minus 20 to minus 30 with the wind chill, and it’s a situation where salt doesn’t work,” he said of conditions on Jan. 26.
Soldo said Queens Line was closed for an extended period on Saturday, Jan. 24, related to icy conditions “and salt would not have worked.” Road salt (sodium chloride) becomes significantly less effective at temperatures below -9°C, and it is completely ineffective at temperatures below -21°C, which means Public Works must prioritize plowing and use road salt strategically during extreme cold weather.
Soldo said there are contingency plans if the cold weather continues for an extended period, potentially mixing some sand into the salt. “We’re well equipped, we have good contingencies in place, and we’re dealing with the winter conditions as best we can… and it has been one of the harshest winters we’ve seen in probably 20 years,” Soldo said.
He also said that the municipality gets complaints from motorists and residents about the service level on Highway 40, from the 401 north into Chatham and from Chatham to Wallaceburg. Soldo said the responsibility for plowing and salting on Highway 40 belongs to the Ministry of Transportation Ontario. “If anyone has concerns or comments about the state of Highway 40, outside of the area that’s in Chatham and Wallaceburg that we control, those should be directed to the Ministry of Transportation and their contractors,” he said.
Residents are also reminded that Chatham-Kent offers a Snowplow Tracker, an online tool that allows the public to view snowplow activity across the municipality in real time. The tracker provides transparency around winter maintenance operations and helps residents better understand when roads in their area have been serviced. The Snowplow Tracker can be accessed at https://chatham-kent.plowtracker.com
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