Everyone has a role to play in winter operations

With great snow comes great responsibility! City staff continue to work around the clock to keep everyone safe throughout the winter months, and the City of Vaughan is reminding you to do your part by removing snow and ice off sidewalks, catch basins and fire hydrants. 

The City plows and salts main road sidewalks, residential sidewalks, crosswalks, school crossings, paths and walkways within parks and private roads; however, the sidewalks in front of houses and along the property are the responsibility of the homeowner to salt and clear. Cleaning up the sidewalks as soon as possible gives everyone in your neighbourhood a clear path to safely walk without fear of slipping on ice or snow. This must be done within 24 hours after snowfall has ended, and this applies to homeowners and/or owners of vacant land or industrial or institutional buildings, whether occupied or unoccupied. Read more about this by-law and its amendment. 

Catch basins also need to be cleared of snow and ice to allow for proper drainage and to help prevent flooding on roads. The resident living closest to a catch basin is responsible for clearing the catch basin and a pathway to it. Additionally, if there is a fire hydrant near your home or business, please make sure it is also clear of snow so firefighters can easily access it in the event of a fire. 

When shovelling your laneway or sidewalk or removing snow from a catch basin or fire hydrant, remember not to dump it onto the public roadway. If you have hired a contractor to plow your laneway or sidewalk, ensure they do not leave snow on the road from their removal. It is illegal to shovel snow or ice onto the road. To learn more, read the Ontario Highway Traffic Act – section 181. 

The City also reminds you not to park cars on streets when the plows are out. Crews cannot effectively clear roads and laneways with cars parked along them. In a recent plowing operation, work could not be completed properly in more than 200 areas due to parked cars. Removing parked cars from the streets allows crews to carry out plowing operations safely and ensures the City can get the entire street cleared. On-street parking is not permitted between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. in Vaughan. As outlined in the City’s Parking By-law (PDF), on-street parking in a way that interferes with the movement of traffic or snow-clearing operations is also prohibited. Vehicles found in violation may be subject to a fine of $75.  

Everyone has a role to play to help ensure Vaughan is safe for all during the winter months. For information on the City’s snow operations or to sign up for snow alerts, visit vaughan.ca/snow. 

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