Winter Operations Update: Sunday, March 5

City crews continue working 24-7 to clean up from Friday’s major snowfall

More than 30 centimetres of snow fell in Vaughan on Friday night – City crews continue to work around the clock to clear snow from roads, sidewalks and windrows.

Here is everything you need to know about today’s winter maintenance operations:

• Cleanup efforts will continue over the next couple of days to address the large accumulation of snow.
• Road plowing and windrow-clearing operations were completed this morning – Sunday, March 5.
• Salting operations continue throughout the day.
• Sidewalk plowing and salting operations will continue throughout the day. The snowfall has left significant amounts of snow on our sidewalk network, which has resulted in delays in service delivery. It is anticipated sidewalk clearing will continue throughout the week.
• Crews will continue working to address localized issues and are preparing for snow-removal activities in areas with high amounts of stored snow.
• Community centres and Vaughan Public Libraries branches are open today with regular hours of operation. Programs are running.
• Forestry crews are addressing fallen trees due to the heavy snow and high winds.

The City continues to be under a Significant Weather Event – road safety is the top priority in our operations.

Staff continue to monitor the road network and assess the progress of the snow-clearing efforts and will continue deploying all available resources.

Your role in winter maintenance

Managing snow in Vaughan is a community effort. Here are some tips on how you can help the City’s winter operations run as smoothly and safely as possible:

• Be mindful of where 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). If you have hired a contractor to plow your laneway or sidewalk, ensure they are licensed with the City and they do not leave snow on the road from their removal.
• Keep parked cars off the street while snowplows are out to assist the City in ensuring 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 without a permit. Crews cannot effectively clear roads and laneways with cars parked along them. 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. 
• Clear snow and ice from sidewalks bordering your property as soon as a snowfall has ended to help ensure roads and sidewalks remain safe, as stated in the City’s Snow-Clearing By-law 227-2022 (PDF).
• Remove anything from your property that may interfere with or be hazardous to plow crews. This includes landscaping features, such as 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 be within 30 centimetres of a sidewalk or within one metre of a street curb.
• Clean snow off all surfaces of your vehicle before driving and keep a safe distance away from snowplows and salting equipment.  
• Keep fire hydrants clear and accessible (one metre all around). Blocked, concealed or difficult-to-access fire hydrants can slow down 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 clear of snow and ice to prevent flooding during temperature fluctuations, if it’s safe to do so.

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

Stay informed

For additional details and to receive the latest information on Vaughan’s winter operations:

• visit vaughan.ca/snow
• 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
• contact Service Vaughan at 905-832-2281 or service@vaughan.ca