The City of Toronto initiated a phased-in plan in 2000 that resulted in a comprehensive and standardized level of snow clearing and removal service across the city. The plan helps us to respond to snow emergencies like the record snowfall Toronto received in January 1999.

The plan calls for an expanded sidewalk clearing program, by-laws for snow emergencies, tagging and towing vehicles obstructing snow removal operations on local streets, and residential driveway windrow opening (snow banks left by snow plows at the end of driveways) where practical.

Highlights of the plan included:

• clearing of all sidewalks, where possible with a mechanical snow plough.
• opening windrows across single family residential driveways except in areas where driveway windrows can not be opened due to on-street parking or lack of snow storage space.
• a consolidated snow emergency by-law with the addition of new snow emergency routes with a provision to exempt cleared locations once snow is removed
• deputizing TTC and municipal staff to aid with enforcement of snow emergency routes
• a by-law to temporarily prohibit parking on local street to facilitate snow removal
• a by-law requiring property owners to clear sidewalks of snow and ice within 12 hours of a snowfall, with failure to do so resulting in a fine of $105.