Federal assistance on the way as Nova Scotia digs out from massive winter storm

CITYnews halifax / By Dan Ahlstrand

Work continues in and around HRM as crews work to clear streets and sidewalks of snow from the weekend snow, and a lot of snow it was.

According to Environment Canada, between 8 am Friday and 9 am this morning, 84 cm of snow fell at Halifax Stanfield International Airport. The snowfall gets lighter as you enter HRM, with readings in Dartmouth between 33 cm and 52 cm. Bedford saw 49 cm, Halifax city centre saw between 30 and 40 cm, and Hammonds Plains registered between 30 and 43.

By contrast, Sydney airport received 103 cm, and a snowfall 150 was recorded in Sydney.

Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston says he has officially reached out to the federal government for help with the snow.

“On the weekend, we wrote to the federal government asking for any available heavy equipment to move snow and portable fuel storage.”

Minister of Emergency Preparedness Harjit Sajjan tells CityNews he has reviewed and approved the request.

“At midnight Atlantic time, we received the official request for assistance, which I have approved.”

Minister Sajjan says Parks Canada does have heavy snow removal equipment that it will provide, and the Canadian Coast Guard will be on hand with helicopter support if needed.

In HRM, as crews continue to clear city streets, the overnight winter parking ban will continue to be enforced overnight in both zone 1 and zone 2 from 1 am to 6 am Tuesday.