Use the interactive map below to look up your address and see what level of winter maintenance service your street receives.
Winter Maintenance & Snowplowing
We maintain more than 1,250 lane kilometers of roads, including Regional roads throughout the city and some sidewalks.
What you need to know
- Sidewalks around your property must be cleared within 36 hours of a snowfall ending.
- Parking is not permitted on city streets from January 1 to March 15, between 2:30 a.m. and 6 a.m.
- During a Snow Event parking is prohibited on all streets, at all times, until it ends.
Winter Servicing of Priority Routes
Snow falls of less than 8 cm trigger winter servicing on roads that are considered to be a priority. These include major roads that directly support vital transportation needs such as: public transit, school bus service, emergency services (police, ambulance and fire vehicles), as well as commercial vehicles. Roads with steeper hills and curves can be more challenging to navigate under winter conditions. These roads are winter serviced more frequently and are treated regularly with salt to achieve bare and wet conditions throughout much of the winter season.
When we declare a Snow Event all streets are cleared. When we declare a Significant Weather Event (SWE), a Snow Event may also be declared depending on the type of weather.
Sidewalks
There are more than 650 km of sidewalks throughout the City of Cambridge.
Residents are responsible for clearing snow and ice from sidewalks around their property within 36 hours of a snowfall ending.
If a complaint is received and a bylaw officer determines your sidewalk is not clear, you will receive a summons or the City will clear the sidewalk and send you a bill for the service.
The City removes snow and ice from specific sidewalks and walkways, including:
- Sidewalks around City-owned property, such as community centres
- Sidewalks along regional roads
- Back-lot sidewalks: sidewalks that run along the back fence of properties
- Curb-faced sidewalks (sidewalks next to the curb or with boulevards of less than 0.25 m). This excludes sidewalks located in the three BIA cores (Galt, Hespeler, Preston).
- Walkways between neighbourhoods
- Walkways to parks (ones that lead from the street to a park with a paved path).
The map below shows sidewalks that are the responsibility of property owners and those maintained by the City.
Report snow or ice on sidewalks
Please use one of the following methods to let us know about a sidewalk that has not been cleared:
Phone - (519) 623-1340
Online - Fill out a Sidewalk Snow Complaint
Frequently Asked Questions
As a resident, what are my responsibilities when it snows?
When snow starts to accumulate, please be a good neighbour by:
- Clearing snow and ice from your sidewalk within 36 hours of the snowfall ending
- Don’t shovel snow back onto the road or over catch basins
- On waste collection days, don’t place your garbage or recycling on the snow bank or road
- Remind children not to play or climb on snowbanks
- Ensure your fire hydrant or gas meter is clear and accessible in case of an emergency
- If a Snow Event is declared, don’t park on any city street and help our plows clear roads safely and quickly
- Don’t park on city streets overnight Jan. 1 - Mar 15 between 2:30 - 6 a.m. unless you have a parking exemption from the City.
When will my street be cleared of snow?
We clear streets based on Provincial guidelines starting with major (primary) roads and secondary roads. Since hospitals and emergency services such as police, ambulance and fire services, are all located on main roads, this ensures access to them is maintained.
When there is a lot of snow, typically 8 cm or more, residential streets and cul-de-sacs are then cleared.
The City contracts out the clearing of cul de sacs. Residents may notice these plows do not have a City logo, and clearing may not necessarily occur simultaneously with other area streets.
Why do plows leave snow at the end of my driveway or sidewalk?
We’re really sorry this happens! Plows must be driven at a minimum speed to throw snow off to the side. Because of this snow lands in driveway entrances and sometime on sidewalks close to the curb. With so many km of roadway to cover, there is no way to avoid pushing snow into driveway entrances. Our goal is to keep roads and the sidewalks we maintain safe and open for all, including for commerce and emergency vehicles.
City crews clear snow from sidewalks that touch roadways as soon as possible after clearing roads. If you come across a sidewalk that is not cleared 36 hours after snowfall has ended, please call (519) 623-1340 to report it or use our online reporting form.
A sidewalk in my neighbourhood is not shovelled. What can I do?
If it has been more than 36 hours since the end of snowfall and you come across a sidewalk that is not cleared of snow or ice, you can report it by calling (519) 621-0740 ext. 7907.
Our staff will inspect the site and issue a notice to the resident. If the snow or ice is not removed upon re-inspection, City staff will clear the sidewalk and charge the resident for the services.
Why can't the City remove snow from all sidewalks?
Budget constraints and resources prevent us from maintaining all sidewalks in the city. It would be too costly and time-consuming to have extra staff on hand and equipment to offer this service.
Why isn’t sand used more often instead of salt?
Each property is different and temperature ranges impact the effectiveness of salt and sand. On higher volume roads, traffic disperses the sand in the wheel path, where it is needed the most. This makes application volumes four times greater than salt because crews have to reapply the sand more frequently. Using more sand for winter maintenance also includes the following additional tasks:
- Clean up requirements in spring
- Filling catch basins
- As sand accumulated, ditch lines require cleaning
Salt applied at the right time in the right amount at the right place, is still the most effective way to fight snow and ice accumulation.
Why doesn't the City apply salt on my street?
Due to environmental concerns and to protect the City's drinking water supply, we minimize the use of salt.
The application of salt is limited to major (primary) roads, intersections and hills. In areas designated as Drinking Water Protection Areas, the application of salt is restricted.
The City's winter maintenance fleet has computerized equipment that monitors road conditions and automatically determines the rate of salt application, avoiding excessive deposits of salt. This technology has resulted in a 30% reduction in the spreading rates of salt.
Who removes snow from bus stops?
Grand River Transit (GRT) is responsible for removing snow from bus stops. Please call (519) 585-7555 to report an issue.
Why can't the City plow more to reduce the use of salt and sand?
There must be a minimum of 2 inches of snow on the road surface to begin plowing operations. Plowing and salting do not provide the same results and are needed for differing weather conditions. Sanding and salting is required if ice is present to prevent a bond forming between snow and asphalt or break the bond if ice has already formed.
