Town Snow Management

When will my street be cleared?

The simple answer: It depends on where you live.

Streets and roads in town are cleared in accordance with a Council-approved Snow and Ice Control Policy, which prioritizes plowing routes by their ranked importance.

Priority 1 routes include arterial roads, emergency services facilities and special areas in need, and are cleared within 48 hours of a storm’s end. The same applies to Priority 2 routes, which include collector roads, school zones and -- during times of heavy melting -- areas with potential drainage issues.

Residential roads, Town-owned parking lots and lanes make up Priorities 3 and 4 and are cleared only when they’re deemed impassable, or when extenuating circumstances exist.

Am I required to move my vehicle for snow plows

Yes. Signs will be posted 24 hours in advance to indicate when your street will be cleared. Vehicles parked on the street while signs are posted may be ticketed and towed

Parking during snow removal days is always a struggle so this year we will be making some changes to make residential parking easier on snow removal days in your area.

This year, the Town will be clearing snow on alternating blocks to allow residents to park their vehicles closer to their homes on snow removal days.

No parking signs will be put out in advance indicating which day each street will be cleared.

Why do I have to wait longer than others to have my street cleared?

The priorities as listed above (and displayed below) were laid out taking a number of factors into consideration -- traffic volume, financial resources, personnel availability, emergency services access and road classification among them.

Routes ranked highest in priority must be cleared first to ensure the safe and efficient transport of the higher volumes of traffic that use them. Clearing them helps ensure the town is able to function as normally as possible during times of heavy snowfall.

How do I know when my street will be cleared?

Take a look at the map below to find out where your street ranks on the priority list, and prepare for plowing to take place accordingly.

What are my responsibilities when it comes to clearing snow?

There are a few things we ask of you to ensure that snow can be removed in the safest, most efficient and timeliest manner possible: 

• If you live on a route classed as either Priority 1 or 2, remove your vehicle from the street during -- or in advance of -- heavy snowfall. Doing so will allow snow removal equipment to move in as quickly as possible.
• Advance notice signs may be posted before snow removal takes place. Watch out for them and prepare for plowing to take place soon thereafter.
• Always grant right-of-way to snow removal equipment. Stay back and give operators as much room as possible.
• Be patient! Staff work hard to ensure roads are clear and safe for travel at all times and do their best with the resources and personnel available to them. Together, we can work to make the snow removal process a practical one!

What else should I know?

Plowing takes place in two major phases -- the first to create lanes for vehicular travel; the second to remove windrows produced as a result. We’ll aim to have both phases carried out as quickly as possible once removal operations are triggered.

It’s also worth noting that Town residents are required to remove snow situated on sidewalks adjacent to their own properties. As per the Town’s Traffic Bylaw, residents must “remove and clear away all snow, ice, dirt and other obstructions from the sidewalk” within 48 hours of a storm’s end. Failure to do so could result in charges and fees being incurred toward offending property owners.