The snowy streets in Rosedale seem to get groomed faster than other areas

Dear Urban Decoder: The snowy streets in Rosedale seem to get groomed faster than other areas. Do the rich get preferential treatment?—Scott Vox, Bloor West Village

They don’t call the denizens of Toronto’s ritziest neighbourhood privileged for nothing. Along with fancy homes and flashy cars, Rosedalians also enjoy snow-free sidewalks before the rest of us. But lest you go hopping on that equality soapbox, the reason has nothing to do with city hall sucking up to the ruling class. Toronto’s official snow strategy is entirely egalitarian, prioritized according to traffic flow, not curb appeal. Keeping sidewalks clear, however, is up to individual home and business owners. In Rosedale, many owners use a private company, whose army of 100 “backstreet boys” operate at top speed, using plows nimble enough to navigate even the narrowest alleys. In short, well-manicured walks are just another example of what money can buy.