[ninty]

Halifax imposes rare city curfew
Last Updated Fri, 20 Feb 2004 21:32:58
HALIFAX - Halifax has declared its first-ever curfew to help crews struggling to clear city streets from a record-breaking snowfall.

The curfew, which applies to both cars and pedestrians, is being imposed under the powers of the provincial Emergency Measures Act. Only essential workers are allowed to be on the roads from 11 p.m. Friday to 7 a.m. Saturday.

"If you're on the road and you're not part of essential services and you're stopped, your vehicle could be impounded and you could face a fine of up to $1,000," says John O'Brien, spokesperson for the Halifax Regional Municipality.

Besides the stalled and abandoned vehicles, too many people are driving around to look at the snow, said O'Brien.

Federal Fisheries Minister Geoff Regan lifted a ban on dumping snow in the ocean.

A record 95.5 centimetres of snow fell on the city since a massive snowstorm slammed into Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island Wednesday night.

Both provinces declared a state of emergency Thursday, requiring all non-essential workers to stay home. It gave officials the authority to order cars off the roads so snowplows could clear the way for emergency vehicles.

In Halifax, some snowbanks are taller than firetrucks and the few streets that are open are down to a single lane.

"We're trying to impress on them the fact that this is a record-breaking storm. This is a storm not of the decade or century; this is the most snowfall we've had in recorded history," said O'Brien.

Charlottetown set its own record snowfall, at 74.4 centimetres. The province's state of emergency was lifted on Friday as some roads started to reopen and most of the 12,000 people who lost electricity got it back.

P.E.I. Deputy Minister of Community and Cultural Affairs Ron MacMillan warned people to remain off the roads unless it is essential travel.

The storm caused organizers of the Special Olympics Canada Winter Games in Charlottetown to cancel events on Thursday and Friday. They will be back on this weekend.

http://www.cbc.ca/stories/2004/02/20/we ... time040220