Help ensure our winter operations run smoothly

Are you prepared for today’s anticipated winter weather? Our Public Works crews are! While our winter operators are gearing up, we’re sharing ways you can help our winter operations run smoothly. 

Keeping Vaughan safe and moving during the winter months is a community effort. There are several ways you can help the City of Vaughan’s winter maintenance operations run smoothly, efficiently and safely: 

• Keep parked cars off the street while snowplows are out to help the City clear streets properly and safely. On-street parking is not permitted between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. in Vaughan without a permit, under the City’s Parking By-law (PDF) or when snowplows are clearing the streets - even with a permit. Please make sure your vehicle does not block any part of the sidewalk or walkway or does not hang over the curb – this makes it difficult for snowplows to clear windrows and sidewalks. 

• 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 (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. 

• 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 to prevent potential flooding during temperature fluctuations, if it’s safe to do so. 

• 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 (PDF). These items should not be within 30 centimetres of a sidewalk or 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 (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.