Snow Plow Tracker Pilot Program for St. Catharines
Get the latest updates on the City's winter control operations with 'Where's My Plow?' This plow tracking pilot program provides St. Catharines residents with a real-time (15-minute delayed) tool to view City plow locations, to better plan travel and stay informed during winter weather.
About Where's My Plow
Where's My Plow is an online tool designed to increase transparency and communication around the City’s snow and ice control efforts. Using our map, residents can see which routes have been serviced (plowed, salted, or patrolled).
How Where's My Plow Works
- Track Streets Serviced (15-Minute Delay): Every 15 minutes the map is updated, with streets changing colour based on when it was last serviced by City-owned snow removal vehicles.
Green = Within the last 4 hours
Blue = 4 to 8 hours ago
Yellow = 8 to 24 hours ago
Red = More than 24 hours ago
- City Vehicles Only: During this initial rollout, Where's My Plow includes only City-operated vehicles. Contractor vehicles aren’t yet visible on the tracker but may be added in future phases.
- Service Levels: Main roads and essential routes are treated first to maintain accessibility and safety. Residential streets are serviced once major roads are cleared, if snowfall thresholds are met, based on established winter service response targets approved by City Council.
Track Your Plow
Use the tracking tool below to find St. Catharines plows:
Frequently Asked Questions
| How Can I Use “Where’s My Plow?” to See When a Plow is Coming to My Street? |
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While the tracker does not provide arrival times, you can use it to track where plows have been and get an idea of when they may be in your area. Here’s how:
2. Check the Colour Legend
3. Refresh the Map
Reminder: Unless a significant weather event is declared, which may affect timelines, target times are available on our winter control standards / threshold chart on stcatharines.ca/SnowRemovalProcess. It provides a general timeline for plowing and salting / sanding, but also most importantly the threshold of accumulation for plowing to take place. Please note, however, any new accumulation will result in a “reset” where crews may return to the primary roads. |
| Why is my street marked as serviced on the tracker when it still seems snow and/or ice-covered? |
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Streets may appear serviced as winter equipment navigates through the city to service priority and main roads according to winter response targets. |
| Why do I see snow plows mainly on main roads and not in residential areas? |
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The City’s snow plowing service prioritizes main roads and essential routes. These are treated first to ensure key routes remain accessible for emergency services and heavy traffic. Once main routes are cleared, resources are directed to secondary streets. |
| Why aren’t there more plows visible on the tracker? |
| Staffing levels and response times can vary, especially during overnight shifts. While City-operated plows are shown on the tracker, contracted vehicles and Niagara Region's plows don’t currently appear. We hope to include them in future updates. |
| I saw a plow on my street, but it’s not showing up on Where's My Plow. Why? |
| The City's plow tracker has a 15-minute delay for safety. Additionally, the initial rollout includes only large City-operated vehicles; contractor vehicles aren’t yet GPS-enabled but are expected to join in a later phase. |
| How often is the plow tracker updated? |
| Where's My Plow updates in real-time with a 15-minute delay to ensure safety. The map refreshes automatically, showing the latest positions and operations of active plows. |
| How do service levels work for snow clearing in St. Catharines? |
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The City follows a winter service level policy where main roads are cleared first, followed by secondary streets. This approach keeps major routes safe and accessible during winter storms. See stcatharines.ca/SnowRemovalProcess for more information. |
| Can I request a plow for my street? |
| The City's plow tracker doesn’t allow for direct plow requests. Snow removal follows a predetermined service level schedule. However, concerns about snow clearing can be directed to the City’s winter maintenance team by visiting stcatharines.ca/ReportAnIssue and selecting the snow clearing option. You can also connect with a member of our Citizen's First customer service team by calling 905.688.5600. |
| Why do I see plows on clear roads when my street still has snow? |
| Plows often revisit main roads for salting and to keep primary routes safe as snow continues to fall. Residential streets are treated afterward to complete the full winter maintenance cycle. See our winter response targets at stcatharines.ca/SnowRemovalProcess for more information on our winter control approach. |
| Will more plows be added to the tracker over time? |
| The City plans to incorporate additional snow removal vehicles such as sidewalk plows and contractor equipment into the plow tracker as technology permits. This will give residents a more complete view of all active snow removal operations. |
| Is Where's my Plow available as an app? |
| Currently, the City's plow tracker is available as an online tool on the City’s website. The City may explore mobile app options in future phases. |
| What should I do if I see a plow drive past but it’s not on the tracker? |
| If a plow isn’t showing on Where's my Plow, it could be due to the 15-minute delay, or it may be a contractor vehicle that isn’t yet GPS-enabled. City vehicles appear on the tracker, while contractor vehicles are expected to be included in future updates. |
Check Road Conditions on Provincial and Regional Routes
The Ontario 511 map provides real-time information on traffic conditions, road closures, construction updates, and winter road maintenance across provincial and regional highways. This map is a valuable tool for anyone traveling through St. Catharines and beyond, especially during winter months or peak travel times. Please note, the Ontario 511 map focuses on larger highways and regional routes; for information on snow plow activity and road conditions within St. Catharines city streets, refer to St. Catharines 'Where's My Plow?' pilot program.