A developer wants the city to subcontract snow removal on all downtown Saskatoon sidewalks.

In a letter to the city, Mid-West Development CEO Ken Achs said downtown sidewalks would be safer and better maintained if the city subcontracted snow removal to a private company.

“It will cost less and the work will be done more timely, and will take less time and money than it takes to enforce the current bylaw,” Achs said.

According to Saskatoon’s sidewalk clearing bylaw, it is the property owners’ responsibility to remove snow and ice “from any sidewalk adjoining the property within 48 hours.”

Achs said his company spends thousands of dollars on snow removal.

“Property owners currently have the cost to remove snow, so with a larger private contractor doing all of the sidewalks, it should cost less,” Achs said.

Achs is set to make his remarks at a transportation committee meeting this afternoon.