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Toumany Dantiogo is experiencing his first winter in Montreal, but he’s not afraid. The 23-year-old Malian asylum-seeker is jumping in with both feet, shovel in hand, and he’s ready to help.

On a recent Thursday morning, Dantiogo sat in a room with four other volunteers at Carrefour jeunesse-emploi Côte-des-Neiges, at a training session for the borough’s new snow brigade. The project aims to clear walkways and steps for the elderly and those with reduced mobility.

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“It’s not such hard work,” Dantiogo said. “I’ve shovelled sand. I think (shovelling) sand is harder than snow.”

It’s part of a new city-wide campaign in which Montreal is giving each borough $10,000 to organize similar initiatives. Boroughs including Plateau-Mont-Royal, Ville-Marie, Hochelaga-Maisonneuve and St-Leonard already have programs in place, while others are soon to follow.

Dantiogo has been in Montreal since May. He works three 12-hour days a week at a printing plant, and is happy to put the rest of his time to good use.