All you need to ‘snow’ about Vaughan’s plowing operations

Winter’s icy embrace is just around the corner, but the City of Vaughan’s Public Works crews are ready to tackle anything Mother Nature throws our way! 

Keeping the community safe, informed and moving throughout the winter months is a top priority. Understanding what plowing involves, when the service begins and what can impact our operations will help you prepare for the upcoming season. 

Here’s everything you need to ‘snow’ before the flakes start to fall:

Plowing responsibilities: City of Vaughan vs. York Region

Vaughan is comprised of local and regional roads, and the City works closely with York Region to ensure our road network is safe and clear all winter long. During a snow event, the City is responsible for plowing municipal roads throughout the city. York Region is responsible for plowing regional roads in Vaughan, such as Major Mackenzie Drive, Rutherford Road, Bathurst Street, Keele Street and Dufferin Street. For a full list of regional roads, visit york.ca.

Plowing involves removing snow and ice accumulation from roads and sidewalks. Watch this video to see a City plow in action.

When does the City plow?

Plowing begins as soon as five centimetres (two inches) of snow have accumulated. We aim to plow all roads within 16 hours after a snowfall has ended. Main roads are plowed first to keep them clear for emergency and transit vehicles before moving to residential areas. Main roads are completed within four hours after a snowfall has ended and residential roads are completed within 12 hours.

What can impact City plowing services?

• Heavy snowfall (10 or more centimetres) or major storms, including Significant Weather Events. Except delays when this happens!

• Landscaping features such as inflatables, decorative lights, fencing, sports nets, decorative stones, pots, bird baths, furniture and more, cannot impede pedestrian traffic, obstruct sight lines or hinder City operations, like snow removal. 
  • These items should not be within 30 centimetres (12 inches) of a sidewalk or one metre (40 inches) of a street curb, as per the City’s Encroachment By-law 034-2017 (PDF).

  • Set waste bins back from the curb approximately one metre (40 inches) and place them on the right-hand side of the driveway (when facing the home). This will allow crews to safely collect waste and ensure we can clear snow effectively in residential areas. 

• Vehicles parked on streets during or immediately after a snowfall. 

  • That’s why we’re reminding everyone to keep parked cars off the street while snowplows are clearing the road. This includes cars parked on driveways that are too close to or hanging over the curb. Read more in the City’s Parking By-law (PDF).

• Garbage, blue boxes and green bins placed on top of or behind snowbanks.

Be on the lookout for our newly-named snowplows, like the ‘BLIZZARD OF OZ’ and ‘CLEAR-O-PATHRA', coming to a road near you! These machines help keep our roads safe throughout the winter. 

Stay informed!

For more information on the City’s winter maintenance program, visit vaughan.ca/snow. For additional details and to receive the latest information on Vaughan’s winter operations:

• contact the SNOW hotline at 905-879-SNOW (7669) or email snow@vaughan.ca.

• follow the City’s official corporate channels on X (formerly known as Twitter), Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

• subscribe to Vaughan News.