The City of Toronto’s winter crews and equipment are ready to respond to the forecasted freezing rain and snowfall that is expected to begin Thursday afternoon.
A special weather statement is in effect for Toronto with 15 to 25 mm of rain expected this evening before transitioning to freezing rain or ice pellets on Thursday afternoon and then to snow on Thursday evening. Snowfall accumulation of 10 to 15 cm is possible by Friday morning.
The City has a comprehensive snow and ice response plan with operations focused on the safety and movement of residents and emergency vehicles with the salting and plowing of roads, sidewalks and bike lanes.
Transportation Services will be hosting a media availability at 7:15 a.m. tomorrow (February 17, 2022) at the Wellington Street yard (701 Wellington St. W.) to provide an update about preparations for the expected snowfall.
The City maintains 14,743 lane-km of roads, 6,500 km of sidewalks and 640 km of bike lanes, and has the following staff and equipment that will be working 24/7 in response to the forecasted snowfall:
Salt trucks are ready and will be deployed as soon as the rain changes to freezing rain. Plows are ready and will be deployed as soon as snow accumulation reaches 2.5 cm on expressways, five cm on major roads and eight cm on local roads. Sidewalk and bike lane plows will be deployed at two cm of snow accumulation.
During this week’s storm, road users should expect delays, slippery conditions and poor visibility. If driving, slow down, follow at a safe distance, and use gentle braking, steering and acceleration. Road users should also keep a safe distance from snow clearing vehicles, be patient and give City crews room to make our roads and sidewalks safe and accessible.
Private snow clearing operators, commercial property owners and the public are reminded to store snow on their property and to avoid pushing snow onto roads, bike lanes or sidewalks. Doing so poses a safety hazard and can hamper snow clearing operations, requiring City crews to return to an area that was previously cleared.
City crews will continue to monitor road conditions before, during and after the snowfall and will be actively patrolling roads to clear debris and keep catch basins clear. Where safe to do so, residents are also asked to clear catch basins (the square grates on the road) in front of their homes of ice, snow and debris to help prevent surface flooding and allow water to drain off the road. Residents who see a significant accumulation of water on roadways are asked to contact 311.
Service requests for snow-related issues can be made on the 311 Toronto mobile app, online at toronto.ca/311 or by calling 311.
The City offers a sidewalk clearing service for seniors and people with a disability who live in any area where sidewalks cannot be plowed. More information is available on the City’s Snow Clearing webpage.
Toronto has a comprehensive snow and ice response plan that prioritizes the safety and movement of residents above all else. More information is available at toronto.ca/snow.
Residents are reminded of the importance of proper waste set out in winter conditions. Improper set out can make it difficult for crews to collect bins and may result in items being missed. Residents must clear snow around bins, never place bins behind or on a snowbank, and ensure a clear path from the bin to the road.
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