Snow Removal

Why does the snow plow leave a pile of snow across my driveway after I've just cleared it?

Snowplows are designed to remove snow from the road and deposit it on the boulevard. When you shovel your driveway, place the snow "downstream" (on the right side when facing the road) so your driveway won't be filled in the next time the plow comes by.

Can plows minimize the amount of snow left at the bottom of my driveway?

The priority of our work crews is to clear the road for travel. The only place to move the snow is onto the boulevard, which includes driveways. Unfortunately, snow left at the bottom of driveways is unavoidable and the City will not clear it.

Why did the plow only clear one side of my street?

Residential roads are plowed to centre bare condition, meaning the plow will create one lane for vehicular traffic. On main roads, you may see the plow clear one side of the street before it is able to safely turn around and return to plow the other half of the street.

Why does it take so long for my street to be plowed?

Residential roads are only plowed after main roads and designated secondary roads have been plowed. As a result, during severe and continuous snowfalls it may take longer to complete snow plowing on residential roads.

If you believe your street has been missed, please wait 24 hours after the snow has stopped falling before calling Citizen's First at 905.688.5600.

I just saw a snow plow drive by with its plow up on a road that needs to be plowed. Why not always keep the plow down?

Each truck is assigned to a route. The truck may be travelling to the beginning of a route to begin a salting operation which is completed before plowing.

Why are they sanding my street and not plowing or salting?

The City has developed a Salt Management Plan to help minimize the use of salt on City streets due to its detrimental effect on our environment. Salt is only applied to the main routes. If temperatures drop below a threshold, salt will not be used on any roads because it cannot effectively melt ice.

Who do I call if my road has not been plowed and I have an emergency?

In an emergency, call 911 to access emergency services. If there is a winter control issue affecting your emergency, such as snow blocking road access for emergency vehicles, emergency services will contact City winter control operations directly.

Why don't all roads have a bare pavement level of service?

To achieve bare pavement, salt must be applied at the onset of snow so that a layer of salt brine is maintained between the road surface and accumulating snow. The City does not have enough equipment or salt to complete this level of service on residential roads. This would increase costs and environmental impact, as outlined in the Salt Management Plan.

What is "snow pack"?

The snow pack is hard-packed snow on a roadway that develops very quickly when vehicles travel on it often. This regularly happens on residential roads. Under snow pack conditions, some rutting can be expected, however, vehicles typically navigate snow pack quite easily.

Snow plows are not able to scrape off snow pack as it is usually bonded to the pavement. The City will take steps to improve conditions when warranted and possible.

Is the City responsible for clearing ice and snow from private parking lots and plazas?

Privately owned lots and plazas are the responsibility of individual property managers. If snow from a private lot is plowed onto a City street, the property management company may be subject to a fine. To report snow piled on a street, contact Citizen's First at 905.688.5600.

Who is responsible for clearing snow from fire hydrants?

If you have a fire hydrant on your property, please ensure it is accessible in case of emergency. Before the winter, we will attach a flag to the hydrant to identify it's location should it become covered in snow.