1. What can you expect from us when it snows?
During the winter months, from December to April, City patrollers are checking road and sidewalk conditions, as well as monitoring weather forecasts. Their main role is to ensure that roads and sidewalks are safe and passable.

When the snow starts to fall, salt trucks are sent out to the primary roads. It is the city's main priority to ensure that these routes are clear for emergency and transit vehicles. If 5 cm of snow has accumulated on the road surface, ploughs are sent out to these roads.

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2. What can you do to Prepare for a Snow Storm?
If possible, keep parked cars off the street so that ploughs can move through the streets more effectively. Use public transit whenever possible. Fewer cars on the street can help us plough the snow. When a snow storm is in the forecast, you should ensure that you purchase any food, medication and household supplies that you might need for the next 48 hours. Try to stay off the streets.

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3. I have to get out of my driveway for work/an appointment/etc. and the street has not been ploughed. What should I do?
During periods of heavy snowfalls, there may be delays. It is always best to plan ahead. If you know it is going to snow, leave yourself an extra hour or so when travelling in winter conditions. Check the Street ploughing Map to determine the ploughing route in your area. Don't drive unless absolutely necessary, and please, be patient.

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4. I have to get out of my driveway for work/an appointment/etc. and the windrow at the end of my driveway hasn't been ploughed. What should I do?
Barring equipment breakdown and the size of storm, windrows should be cleared in less than 3 hours after the plough has cleared the street. If you must get out before the windrow has been cleared and you cannot drive through the windrow, you will have to shovel out your driveway entrance.

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5. How long does it take to plough the streets?
The City's goal is to plough all streets in less than 16 hours, after the snowfall has ceased. During periods of heavy snowfall, ploughing operations can take longer.

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6. Is there some type of priority system for salting/sanding and ploughing the streets and sidewalks?
Yes. The City's road network is divided into 3 categories for winter maintenance purposes. For a detailed view, please refer to the Street ploughing Map. By having different categories, it allows us to focus our attention first on the heavily travelled streets or those with steep hills or dangerous curves. Once the first priority streets are completed, the residential side streets and cul-de-sacs are started. Rear lanes receive low-priority service.

Similarly, sidewalks are divided into 2 categories for City clearing operations. For details, please refer to the Sidewalk ploughing Map. Heavily travelled routes, and routes leading directly to schools, are the first priority. All other walks are cleared after these primary sidewalks are completed.

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7. What is the difference between a Primary and Secondary street/sidewalk?
A Primary road, for winter maintenance activities, is a road that:

• is a Regional road maintained by the City of Vaughan at the Region's request; or
• is an arterial or collector road; or
• is a connecting link (provides access to the majority of secondary roads throughout a subdivision); or
• carries high traffic volumes (in excess of 1000 vehicles per day); or
• has steep hills; or
• has sharp curves.

A Secondary road is a local residential road that carries lower traffic volumes, is not a public laneway, or does not meet the above criteria

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8. Sidewalks are not yet ploughed. How will the children get to school?
All residents and businesses are required to clear the snow from the public sidewalks in front of their properties. In periods of heavy snow, the City will assist by sending out ploughs to clear the public sidewalks, as well as the walkways though the parks. If you are concerned about the ability of your child to walk safely to school, send your children out only when you feel it is safe to do so.

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9. When will the snow be cleared around Canada Post Mail Boxes?
Canada Post is required to clear the snow around its mailboxes.

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10. I live on a cul-de-sac (dead-end) street. Why does my street always seem to get ploughed later than other streets in the area, or only partially ploughed?
Cul-de-sacs do get cleared later than primary and secondary roads. Due to the small turning radius afforded by most cul-de-sacs, the large trucks cannot plough the circular part of the street properly. A separate piece of equipment is sent in later to clean up these areas. Snow that is piled up in the centre of the cul-de-sacs will be removed when it becomes a hazard to drivers and/or the public in general.

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11. I live on a corner lot. Why does the plough put so much snow on my property?
Residents living on corner lots usually get a bit more snow deposited in front of their houses, as there is a larger portion of roadway to be cleared at an intersection. Unfortunately, there is nothing the plough operator can do to resolve this problem. However, the City does have a windrow clearing program to ensure that the pile of snow deposited by the plough at the end of the driveway is removed.

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12. The plough creates windrows or banks of snow along the sides of the road and across my driveway. Why can't the same plough clear in front of my driveway? When will the second plough come to clear the windrow from my driveway?
Due to equipment availability, ploughing operations and windrow clearing operations must be performed by two separate pieces of equipment. Recent changes to our windrow clearing program have significantly reduced the time period between the ploughing operation and the windrow clearing operation. Barring equipment breakdowns and size of storm, windrows should be cleared within 3 hours of the ploughing operations.

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13. I have a physical disability, and I used to receive a special service from the City, whereby the windrow was cleared from my driveway. Am I still entitled to receive this special service?
The City has extended this service to all residents. Under the previous program, the City committed to clear the windrow within 48 hours of the snowfall ceasing. With the City's new program, it is cleared within a few hours of the ploughing operation.

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14. I have a physical disability. Who will shovel my driveway?
You may be able to get assistance from a family member, a friend or a neighbour. As well a number of private snow clearing firms will provide this service. Check the Yellow Pages for listings. Unfortunately, the City will not clear snow from private property under any circumstance.

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15. The access to my house is from a rear laneway. Why does it take so long for the City to clear the snow from my laneway?
Rear laneways are a lower priority for snow clearing operations than normal residential streets. As the rear lanes are narrower than regular roads, and they often have garage entrances on both sides of the lane, ploughing is not always an option. Salting and/or snow clearing are the only ways to deal with large volumes of snow. As such, they receive a lower level of service. This level of service has been approved by Council, and this is reflected in the fact that the City requires all developers to place 'Warning Clauses" in all sub-division agreements to advise purchasers that snow clearing, ploughing and sanding operations for public laneways will occur only after all City streets have been cleared, and either 15 cm or more of snow has fallen or severe rutting has occurred. These warning clauses are registered on the title of the property.

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16. There are areas on my street that haven't been ploughed properly. Why did the driver not do a better job?
Most problem areas on streets are the result of parked cars blocking the snowploughs, or residents putting snow from their driveways back onto the public roadway. Residents are reminded not to park vehicles on the street either during or following a snowstorm, or to place snow from driveways and sidewalks on the street. Depositing snow on the public roadway is an offence under the Highway Traffic Act.

Police and/or By-law officers will tag and/or or tow vehicles blocking road ploughing operations. To contact the By-law Department during normal business hours, please call (905) 832-8505. After hours and on weekends, residents can contact the Public Works Department at (905) 832-8562.

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17. The sidewalk plough creates a small windrow across my driveway. Whose responsibility is it to clear this snow?
You must shovel the windrow created by sidewalk clearing equipment. Remember, it is an offence under the Highway Traffic Act to put the snow on the street.

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18. What do I do if I have an emergency and I cannot get out due to snow conditions?
In the event of a medical or other emergency, call 9-1-1. The emergency services will contact our snow clearing crews and we will work in co-operation with police, fire and ambulance to make sure they can reach you.

Remember, planning ahead can solve a lot of problems. Re-schedule appointments to a later date, and if you must go out, leave extra time for travel.

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19. When are bus stops ploughed?
Bus stops are cleared after the road clearing operations are completed, but normally within 48 hours of a snowfall ceasing.

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20. I could not park in my driveway, so I parked on the road (or I had to park across the sidewalk) and I got a ticket. Why?
Parking on the street is prohibited under By-law 1-96 between the hours of 2 am and 6 am year round. The streets must be clear of parked cars for adequate snow clearing operations. Parking on the street could result in unsafe conditions, and in addition, you could get tagged or towed. Please plan ahead, and make other arrangements.

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21. There are no houses on the other side of my street. Instead of making residents on my side clear a windrow when they cannot wait for the machine to do it, why can't the plough push the snow to the other side of the street?
As most of our ploughing equipment is not capable of changing the direction that the snow is cast, the driver would need to drive down the street on the wrong side of the road. Under the Highway Traffic Act, drivers are not permitted to drive down the street on the wrong side of the road.

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22. I pay for a service to clear the snow; or I have neighbours who clear the snow for me; or I am elderly and it is hard enough for me to clear my driveway once. As soon as the job is finished, the City comes along and blocks me in. I then have to start all over or wait a long time for the windrow machine to come along. Why?
As with a lot of things, timing is everything! If your street has not been ploughed, there is not much point in clearing out the driveway, as it will be filled in with snow by the plough. However, the windrow unit, barring equipment breakdown and the size of storm, will be along within 3 hours of the plough to clear the driveway entrance. Be patient!

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23. Someone told me they worked for the City and wanted me to pay to get the windrow cleared from the end of my driveway. Do I have to pay this person extra? How can I tell if a truck is a Vaughan vehicle or a private snow clearing company?
The City does not charge for windrow clearing services. Anyone claiming to work for the City and is asking for money should be reported to the Public Works Department at (905) 832-8562. The overwhelming majority of vehicles contracted by the City of Vaughan to clear windrows are graders, front-end loaders, or backhoes, although small 4x4 pick-up trucks with ploughs are used in some of the rural areas. If in doubt, call the Public Works Department at (905) 832-8562.

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24. Why did the windrow machine not clear the whole front of my driveway?
The City's windrow clearing program is designed to clear approximately 80% of the windrow at the end of your driveway. This allows enough space for vehicles to safely enter and exit the driveway. It is not designed to clear the entire driveway entrance, nor is it designed to clear large piles of snow that have been pushed from the driveway to the curb by residents.

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25. Why did they not clear the windrow from my driveway?
There are a number of reasons why windrows cannot be cleared at every driveway. The most common reason is cars that are parked in the driveway that either overhang the curb, or are so close that the machine cannot safely clear the windrow. Our contractor is not required to go back and clear windows where cars are parked too close to the edge of the roadway.

Another problem is cars parked on the street. Again, the unit cannot physically get close enough to remove the windrow. Our contractor is not required to go back and clear windrows where parked cars created a problem clearing the windrow.

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