Come on, what a lame response. 

"but what do you do when the equipment you need is sold out from almost every hardware store?"

I have at least 5 snow shovels in my garden shed.  2 snow pushers, 2 aluminun scoop shovels, 1 large snow scoop. Plus I have an ice chipper. On top of that I have a fertilizer spreader and a couple bags of crushed pumice as a traction aid.  Salt doesn't do much at -25C. 

If a Vancouver homeowner doesn't even have one snow shovel then I would say it is THEIR fault for not being prepared. 

If you expect your city to have a fleet of snow removal equipment at the ready, be prepared to pay for it.  For that to have any chance of happening you have to have the will to vote in a city council that has more than bike lanes, injection sites and greenest city designations as priorities. 

Remember that during your next civic election.  Lofty expectations over common sense has always been an issue on the 'left coast'.