Changes to Snow Clearing this winter …

Going into the 2021-2022 winter season, City of Toronto officials said around 85 per cent of all public sidewalks were cleared by sidewalk plows. However, after a two-year pilot project and city council approval, 13 per cent of the remaining sidewalks will be cleared by plows and municipal crews were clear the remaining two per cent by hand in areas where it’s too narrow for a plow. The expansion of sidewalk clearing to the remaining 15 per cent is expected to be fully done by February.

Sidewalk plows and salters won’t begin operations until the snowfall has stopped and there are more than two centimetres of accumulation or if there is ice buildup. Sidewalks along arterial roads, school zones, transit areas and certain accessibility areas are prioritized first for clearing.

Guidelines state it can take anywhere from 13 to 72 hours after snowfall stops depending on the intensity of a weather system. Depending on the storm, there can be more than one clearing if staff determine a need