Warm weather sparks concern over winter roads

A spate of warm weather is causing concern for Manitoba communities relying on winter roads for vital supplies.

Sheila North Wilson, grand chief of Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak (MKO), said the roads are "lifelines" for regions that depend on use of the roads forshipments of supplies including food, fuel and building materials.

"There's already some water in some areas, and very mild temperatures, so there's no particular area that is more worried than the other," said North Wilson.

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"I think everyone is pretty much always on edge in that kind of situation."

North Wilson said anything that isn't brought out via winter roads has to be flown in, driving already-steep prices higher.

"With a shortened winter season, the prices go up even more, and while the winter road season is getting shorter, the inflation keeps going up on everything, and it impacts the communities greatly who are already living in poverty," she said.

'Can't control Mother Nature'

On Sunday evening, all of Manitoba's winter roads were open, but 26 of the 34 roads listed on the Province of Manitoba's highway text report page were under a travel restriction or advisory.

According to the province, travel on the roads is not recommended in temperatures of5 C or milder. Travel on roads in warm weather is more dangerous and damages roads, a provincial spokesman wrote in an email.

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Mark Kohaykewych, president of winter road trucking company Polar Industries, said he hasn't shipped anything from his yard since Thursday night, and doesn't expect to get moving until Tuesday.

"You can't control Mother Nature, but the best thing we could do right now is sit tight [and wait for] cold weather," he said."Having anybody go out there right now is just going to damage the roads and just going to make things a lot slower and a lot more dangerous for the drivers later on."

Delays could mean lost shipments

Kohakewych said the lost time comes on top of a late start to the season. Manitoba winter roads are usually open by the end of January, but most were a few days behind schedule this year, he said.

"We've just condensed everything we thought we could get in nine weeks into seven, and who knows what the rest of March is going to hold?" he said.

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Kohakewych said he's concerned the delay could mean some shipments don't make it to their destinations. He said some communities may have to prioritize heavy machinery such as bulldozers and excavators that can't be transported by air over other provisions.

North Wilson said MKO and community leadership are monitoring road conditions, and advised caution to anyone who has to use them.

She recommended communicating travel plans to others while using the roads, and watching provincial updates on conditions.