Vaughan crews are ready to respond!

Snow is once again in the forecast for Vaughan and City crews are ready to respond! Staff continue to actively monitor weather conditions and will respond accordingly to help keep the community safe and get people where they need to go. 

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. This includes ensuring decorative lights on outdoor trees are not hanging over the curb or sidewalk, as these lights impede winter operations and make it difficult for sidewalk operators to clean snow and ice off sidewalks. Here are additional ways you can help:

• 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.
• Keep cars off the street while snowplows are out to help the City ensure streets are cleared properly and safely. On-street parking is not permitted at any time when snowplows are clearing the streets, or 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 $75 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).
• 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.
• 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.
• Help keep catch basins and culverts clear of snow and debris to help prevent potential flooding during temperature fluctuations, if it’s safe to do so.
• 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.  

Winter operations
The City provides citizens with efficient and reliable winter services – whether it’s reducing ice on roads or clearing snow from local streets, paths and sidewalks, the City’s crews strive to take on whatever the Canadian winter has in store. 

Service levels may change due to inclement weather conditions – it may take the City longer than usual to clear city roads, sidewalks, and/or bicycle lanes. Staff will continue to monitor weather forecasts and make the necessary decisions and adjustments to operations.

To report non-emergency winter maintenance service requests, visit Service Vaughan.

For more information on the City’s winter operations, visit vaughan.ca/snow.

Throughout the winter months and beyond, the City of Vaughan is committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of citizens, implementing process efficiencies to deliver effective and efficient road maintenance and providing exceptional end-to-end citizen-centred services.

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