We’re Ready For Winter !

City of Toronto’s Winter Operations Program
The City keeps roads and sidewalks safe and passable for pedestrians, cyclists and motorists.

What happens when it snows (and before it snows, too)
Here is a basic idea of how we operate when a snow storm hits the City.

• 24-hour patrols continuously check road conditions and staff monitor weather forecasts and pavement temperatures

• Prior to a storm, anti-icing trucks are sent out to apply a layer of “brine” (salt and water) on hills and bridges. When the snow starts falling, salt trucks begin de-icing main roads and expressways and then continue their rounds throughout all City streets

• Expressway plowing begins when between 2.5 cm and five cm of snow has fallen, and after five cm of snow falls main roads in the City are ploughed. The City’s main priority is to keep these roads open for TTC and emergency vehicles

• Side streets are ploughed after eight cm or more has fallen – but only after the snow has stopped. It can take up to 14-16 hours after a snowfall to complete ploughing on all local streets

• Mechanical sidewalk clearing is performed in areas of the City where it is feasible after eight cm of snow has fallen. Multiple rounds of clearing may be necessary for heavy snowfalls, or to address icy conditions in subsequent days

• Manual clearing of snow from sidewalks of seniors and disabled residents (only in areas where the City doesn’t clear the sidewalks mechanically) is also performed where homeowners register for the service

• After the main roads are ploughed, crews begin the task of clearing snow from transit stops and crosswalks

What you can do to help

• Use public transit wherever possible

• Keep parked cars off streets wherever possible

• Don’t push snow back onto roads – please shovel it onto private property

These activities improve road safety, increase the efficiency of our snow ploughing operations, and help reduce the cost of winter services as streets can be ploughed properly with one pass.