The first snowfall of the season is on its way!
Vaughan’s winter crews are ready to respond
We may see our first snowflakes of the season this week, and the City of Vaughan is ready to respond! Our Public Works crews are prepared to make sure everyone can travel safely throughout the community no matter the weather.
The City provides residents with efficient and reliable winter services – whether it’s reducing ice on roads or clearing snow from local streets, paths and sidewalks, our crews strive to take on whatever the Canadian winter has in store.
Here’s everything you need to know about Vaughan’s winter maintenance services:
Anti-icing: Before a snowfall, the City prepares roads by spraying brine on their surface to prevent the formation of black ice. Brine, a solution of rock salt and water, acts immediately as a barrier on road surfaces and remains effective for several days. This prevents precipitation from adhering to the road, reducing the risk of slippery conditions.
Salting: During a heavy snowfall or major storm, the City will salt and clear sidewalks in main areas before moving to residential areas. The City aims to salt municipal main roads (such as Ansley Grove Road, Chancellor Drive, Kipling Avenue, Woodbridge Avenue and more) within four hours after snowfall ends, and residential roads, including narrower streets like laneways behind townhomes, within 12 hours. York Region is responsible for salting regional roads in Vaughan. For a full list of regional roads, visit york.ca.
Snowplowing: Plowing begins as soon as five centimetres (two inches) of snow have accumulated on public roads. The City aims 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. 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.
Windrow clearing: Our windrow-clearing service is completed up to four hours after a snowplow has passed. You might be wondering why there’s a delay. That’s because our windrow-clearing service follows our snowplowing operations to ensure our main roads are clear for emergency and transit vehicles first. Due to differing operating speeds, windrow-clearing operators must work on a separate schedule from our snowplow operators. Snowplows work in one continuous movement as they go from street to street, whereas our windrow-clearing operators must slow down to raise and drop their blades as they go from driveway to driveway. Due to the limited size and reach of the windrow-clearing units, they can only clear a portion of the driveway entrance – residual amounts of snow may be left behind. Please note this service does not clear windrows left by sidewalk plows and does not clear hardened snow, ice or the entire driveway. It is your responsibility to clear the small windrow across a driveway created by sidewalk plows.
Keeping Vaughan safe and moving during the winter months is a community effort. There are several ways you can help the City’s winter maintenance operations run smoothly, efficiently and safely:
Don’t park cars on the street while snowplows are out – this will help the City clear streets properly and safely. 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 064-2019 (PDF), on-street parking that interferes with snow-clearing operations is prohibited. Vehicles found in violation may be subject to a $85 fine or towed at the owner’s expense.
Clear snow and ice from sidewalks bordering your property to help ensure roads and sidewalks remain safe, as stated in the City’s Snow Clearing By-law 227-2022 (PDF).
On waste collection days, set waste bins back from the curb approximately one metre on the right-hand side of your driveway, where possible (when facing the home). They should never be placed on top of or behind snowbanks or buried in snow.
Keep fire hydrants clear and accessible (one metre all around). Blocked, concealed or difficult-to-access fire hydrants can impede emergency fire response.
Help keep catch basins and culverts clear of snow, ice and debris, if it’s safe to do so, to prevent potential flooding during temperature fluctuations.
Remove anything from your property that may interfere with or be hazardous to plow crews. This includes landscaping features, such as fencing, decorative stones, pots, bird baths, furniture and more, as stated in the City’s Encroachment By-law 034-2017 (PDF). These items should not be within 30 centimetres (11.8 inches) of a sidewalk or within one metre of a street curb.
Be mindful of where shovelled snow is placed. It is illegal to shovel snow or ice onto the road under the Ontario Highway Traffic Act and the City’s Dumping By-law 103-2020 (PDF).
Clean snow off all vehicle surfaces before driving and keep a safe distance from snowplows and salting equipment.
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, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
subscribe to Vaughan News.
