Every year Environment Canada issues a prediction for the coming winter.

This year, it looks like our shoveling muscles will be getting a much needed rest.

The arrival of the city's Christmas tree at Nathan Phillips Square Saturday was a sure sign that winter's just around the corner. But don't let last year's memories of minus-40 degree weather and knee-deep snow scare you.

Here in eastern Canada warmer than average temperatures are expected for the months to come, though folks in B.C. and the prairies may not be as lucky.

"What it's showing is warmer than normal," said Environment Canada's Dave Phillips. "We think this winter will in fact be near normal amounts of precipitation and I think the safest prediction of all is to say we're not going to do as much shovelling and plowing and pushing as we did this year."

Of course Saturday's prediction is welcome news for the city of Toronto, which has already overspent its snow removal budget of $65 million for this year thanks to some massive blizzards at the start of 2008.

City staff will have no choice but to dip into a reserve fund of about $20 million to cover snow costs for November and December.

Environment Canada

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