The machines were clearing what little was left of the snowfall that hit about 10 days ago.
Incredulous residents watched on breathlessly at the lack of sense this operation made, as the weather was well above zero Saturday and the need for any such effort was non-existent.
Photos of Montreal trucks clearing streets that have no snow emerge just about every year
These images offer proof of extravagant wastage in the $155 million Montreal spends annually from the $5 billion city budget..
A new deal might actually encourage such futile operations.
Last August Montreal committed itself to a new snow removal system which sets standards for snow clearing all over the island.
Any area on the island (Montreal city or not) will get slammed with a fine of $500,000 to $1 million if snowfalls of 20 cm or more are not collected within four days on major roads.
About 40 percent of all Montreal roads are in that category while the rest are allowed to remain covered in snow for much longer.
So if this sort of unnecessary operation starts happening more often, it's likely because local authorities are preoccupied with possible fines that come with not clearing snow.