What infrastructure is the City responsible for clearing?

The City is responsible for clearing snow and ice on City-owned infrastructure, including:

* 5,700 lane kilometres of roads.

* 1,550 kilometres of priority sidewalks.

* 900 kilometres of secondary sidewalks.

* 134,000 residential driveway windrows.

* 3,300 bus stops.

* 127 kilometres of roadside multi-use trails.

* 73 kilometres of on-street bike lanes.

* Parking lots and entrances connected to community centres, arenas and libraries.

* Some park parking lots, paved pathways and trails.

Is the City responsible for clearing all roads?

Peel Region is responsible for clearing most Regional roads. The City of Mississauga is responsible for snow clearing on City roads and on the following Regional roads:

* Cawthra Road between Lakeshore Rd. E. and Eastgate Pkwy.

* Queensway West from Mavis Rd. to the eastern city limits, excluding the Queensway Bridge.

* Winston Churchill from Lakeshore Rd. W. to Dundas St. W.

For information about snow clearing on other Regional roads, call 905-791-7800. The Ministry of Transportation is responsible for clearing snow on provincial highways and their respective on-ramps and off-ramps.

How long do snow-clearing operations take?

While the amount of time it takes to treat and clear infrastructure depends on how much it snows, it can take 12 to 24 hours to clear priority infrastructure after the snow has stopped. This includes priority roads, priority sidewalks, bus stops, roadside multi-use trails, pedestrian crossings, on-street bike lanes, and parking lots and entrances connected to community centres, arenas and libraries.

City crews then move on to clearing residential roads and sidewalks, park trails, and pathways that serve as transportation links for local communities (e.g. walkways, easements to schools). This infrastructure is cleared within 24 to 36 hours after the snow has stopped.

Residential driveway windrows are cleared four to six hours after the street has received its final round of plowing. Depending on the amount of snow, it may take plows multiple passes to clear a street.

Residents are reminded that snow clearing will take longer if Mississauga gets back-to-back storms or more than 30 centimetres of snow.

What does it mean when a Significant Weather Event has been declared?

The City may declare a Significant Weather Event when a weather hazard (such as a storm) has the potential to pose a significant danger to residents travelling on roads or sidewalks.

Standard snow clearing timelines are put on hold when this is declared. When this happens, crews focus on clearing snow on priority roads and infrastructure. As a result, snow clearing operations may take longer than usual. The City will post Significant Weather Event declarations on X @MississaugaSnow.

What can I do if my street hasn’t been cleared?

The City makes every effort to follow a priority route system. Major roads, on-street bike lanes, priority sidewalks, pedestrian crossings, bus stops and designated roadside multi-use trails are cleared first, followed by residential roads, residential sidewalks and driveway windrows.

If your street has not been cleared 24 to 36 hours after the snow has stopped, please contact 311.

Please remember that residential roads and sidewalks are not cleared to bare pavement. Some snowpack will remain on the surface.

Why does the plow not clear my residential street right to the curb?

Usually this means that there were cars or other obstructions on the street, like garbage cans or sports equipment, blocking the path of our snow plows. Operators are instructed to clear the snow as close to the curb as they can. Please remember to remove parked cars from the street when it snows so that our crews can

access your street to clear it as quickly and efficiently as possible.

What is a windrow?

A windrow is the snow pile that gets pushed across the bottom of your driveway by snow plows.

Who is responsible for clearing driveway windrows?

For residential homes, the City will clear at least a three-metre space at the end of single, double and shared driveways. The City doesn’t clear windrows for condominiums, commercial properties and homes on private roads.

Do I need to register for windrow clearing?

Registration is not required for driveway windrow clearing. The City provides this service as part of its winter maintenance program.

When will my driveway windrow get cleared?

Residential driveway windrows will be cleared four to six hours after your street has received its final round of street plowing. It may take more than six hours if the city gets more than 30 centimetres of snow or back-to-back storms.

Why did the plow drive by without clearing my windrow?

If the plow went by without clearing your windrow, don’t worry – the plow will be back! Driveway windrows will be cleared four to six hours after your street has received its final round of plowing. Sometimes it takes plows multiple passes to clear your street.

Why didn’t the plow clear my whole windrow?

The City will clear enough space in your driveway windrow for a vehicle to enter and exit the driveway safely – at least 3 metres. The City will not clear snow pushed aside by sidewalk plows or the entire driveway surface.

Why didn’t my windrow get cleared at the same time as others on my street?

There are several reasons why driveway windrows cannot be cleared. Cars parked on the road or on the lower part of the driveway can make it unsafe for the plow to clear the windrow. Obstacles like sports equipment and lawn decorations can also prevent crews from being able to safely clear windrows.

What happens during a Citywide Winter Parking Restriction?

To make snow clearing safer and more efficient, the City has introduced a new penalty of $150 for those who park their vehicles on the road when the City declares a Citywide Winter Parking Restriction.

The City will declare a Citywide Winter Parking Restriction when the City needs to plow roadways. When a Citywide Winter Parking Restriction is declared, on-street parking is not allowed, except in areas identified by signage (e.g. 15-hour maximum). This includes no parking on statutory holidays and religious observances. Temporary parking permits and residential parking permits will not be issued and current ones will be suspended.

How do I know when a Citywide Winter Parking Restriction is in effect?

The City will announce that a Citywide Winter Parking Restriction is in effect on its website and on social media @MississaugaSnow on X. Residents can also sign up to receive an email alert at mississauga.ca/snow.

Is my parking permit still valid during a snowstorm?

When a Citywide Winter Parking Restriction is in effect, temporary parking permits and residential parking permits are suspended and new parking permits will not be issued.

To find out if temporary parking permits are suspended, sign up to receive email alerts, contact 311, follow @MississaugaSnow on X or visit mississauga.ca/temporaryparking or mississauga.ca/snowparking.

How are violations addressed?

Enforcement of the Citywide Winter Parking Restriction in the Traffic By-law is handled by Mississauga’s Parking Enforcement team.

Who reports vehicles left on the roadway?

Plow operators will report vehicles that impede winter operations and notify Parking Enforcement. If a vehicle is parked on the street during an active restriction, Mississauga’s Parking Enforcement Officers can issue a $150 fine. Residents can also report parking violations by calling 311 or using the online portal. This creates a service request for Mississauga’s officers to attend as soon as possible.

What can I do to make snow clearing more efficient?

When winter weather hits, we can all do our part to make snow clearing more efficient and support our crews as they do this critical work:

* Give plows lots of space and drive according to weather conditions.

* Don’t park your vehicle on the road, sidewalk or lower portion of your driveway.

* On waste collection days, place your bins away from the curb.

* Make sure there aren’t any obstacles like sports equipment or lawn ornaments located near the lower portion of your driveway.

What is the City doing to control salt use?

The City prioritizes effective salt management practices that help keep Mississauga’s roads and infrastructure safe while limiting the impact of salt on the environment. The City is controlling its salt use by:

* Spraying brine (saltwater solution) on priority roads before a storm, when conditions allow. It helps break the bond between the snow/ice and the road, making it easier to clear snow.

* Plowing sooner.

* Using the right amount of salt in the right place at the right time.

* Using treated salt on roads, sidewalks and bus stops when it’s below -7C. It works better at colder temperatures, so the City can use less.

* Using advanced weather monitoring and salt trucks equipped with on-board technology to better monitor road conditions and control our salt use accordingly.

Residents can help minimize icy conditions on their own property by clearing snow off their sidewalk and driveway soon after the snow stops to avoid build-up, trying to pile snow where it won’t melt on their sidewalk or driveway, and using salt and ice-melting materials as recommended by the manufacturer.

We’re working to get you where you need to go safely this winter. New this winter, the City will deliver citywide sidewalk clearing. The City plows snow when five centimeters or more accumulates. The City clears priority infrastructure first. This includes:

* Priority roads: routes for emergency vehicles, transit and high-traffic volumes.

* Priority sidewalks: sidewalks located along major roads and bus routes and outside of schools, hospitals and long-term care homes.

Depending on how much it snows, it can take 12 to 24 hours to clear this priority infrastructure after the snow has stopped.

Residential roads are cleared next, within 24 to 36 hours after the snow has stopped. New this winter, residential sidewalks will also be cleared at this time.

Preparing for sidewalk clearing

To make sure the sidewalk in front of your home and your neighbour’s home gets cleared, it’s important that you do not park your vehicle over the sidewalk – this can prevent our crews from being able to clear the snow. To learn more about snow clearing in Mississauga, visit mississauga.ca/snow.