Help ensure the City’s winter operations run smoothly and safely
Winter cleanup operations are underway, and City crews continue to provide citizens with efficient, reliable and high-level services. While the City handles salting, windrow clearing, plowing and snow removal along more than 2,200 lane-kilometres of roads and 1,200 kilometres of sidewalks throughout Vaughan, there are a number of ways you can help the City’s winter operations run smoothly and make sure you and your neighbours have a safe winter.
Sidewalks
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 your property are your responsibilities as a homeowner to salt and
clear. The City’s Snow Clearing By-law 227-2022 (PDF) states that you
are responsible for removing snow and ice from sidewalks that border your
property to ensure your neighbours can walk safely on
a clear path without fear of slipping on ice or snow. A fine of up to $500 may be issued to those who do not comply with the
by-law.
You are encouraged to report occurrences of snow and ice-covered sidewalks to the City’s By-law and Compliance, Licensing and Permit Services department by calling Service Vaughan at 905-832-2281 or by emailing bylaw@vaughan.ca.
Catch basins and fire hydrants
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 encouraged to help clear it of snow
and ice to prevent flooding, if it’s safe to do so. Keep fire hydrants clear
and accessible (one metre all around). Blocked, concealed or
difficult-to-access fire hydrants can impede emergency fire response. As outlined
in the City’s Water By-law 106-2022 (PDF), citizens who have a fire hydrant on their property or City
property adjacent to theirs are responsible for ensuring the hydrant is always
visible and unobstructed.
Windrows
The City provides windrow-clearing
service to all residential driveways in Vaughan; however, the service does not
clear windrows left by sidewalk plows and does not clear hardened snow, ice or
the entire driveway. You are
responsible for clearing the small windrow across your driveway created by
sidewalk plows.
It’s illegal to shovel snow or ice onto the road – so when shovelling your laneway or sidewalk, or removing snow from a catch basin or fire hydrant, do not dump it onto the road. If you have hired a contractor to plow your laneway or sidewalk, ensure they do not leave snow on the road from their removal. More information can be found in the Ontario Highway Traffic Act – section 181 and the City’s Dumping By-law 103-2020 (PDF).
Parked cars
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. Removing parked cars from the streets
allows crews to carry out plowing operations safely and ensures the City can clear
the entire street. On-street parking is not permitted between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m.
in Vaughan without a permit. However, during a snow event, all cars must be
removed from the road. Please ensure your vehicle(s) do not encroach over the
sidewalk. Even a partially blocked sidewalk prevents the plows from doing their
job properly. As outlined in the City’s Parking By-law (PDF), on-street parking that interferes with snow-clearing operations
is prohibited. Vehicles found in violation may be subject to a $75 fine or
towed at the owner’s expense.
Here are more winter tips:
- Remove anything that may interfere with or be hazardous to plow crews. This includes landscaping features such as inflatables, outdoor decorative lights, fencing, basketball nets, 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 of a sidewalk or within one metre of a street curb.
- Set waste bins back from the curb approximately one metre on the right-hand side of the driveway, where possible (when facing the home). They should never be placed on top of or behind snowbanks. This allows crews to safely collect waste and for the City to clear the snow effectively in residential areas.
- Clean snow off all vehicle surfaces before driving and keep a safe distance from snowplows and salting equipment.
Stay
informed!
Everyone
has a role to play in ensuring Vaughan is safe for all, especially during the
winter. For more information on the City’s winter operations, 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 Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn
- subscribe to Vaughan News