Snow Clearing

Your responsibilities

As a property owner, it is your responsibility to clear snow and ice from your driveway and any sidewalks that border your property.

Here are some of the additional responsibilities for everyone in the community:

• Make sure to follow the overnight winter parking restrictions to allow room for snowplows
• Avoid leaving your car on the road during the day if the plow has not yet gone by
• Do not push snow onto the roadway as this is a violation of the Highway Traffic Act

Follow these safety tips while driving and removing snow:

• Always wear proper boots to make sure you don't slip and fall
• When driving, avoid splashing slush and water onto sidewalks which could freeze
• Slow down on roadways
• Don't let children play in snowbanks
• Help clear snow around fire hydrants and catch basins
• Avoid driving on the road during a snowstorm
• Make sure your vehicles don't block roads or sidewalks

Levels of services and snow clearing priorities

We use the maintenance standards provided by the Province of Ontario as a baseline for our snow clearing and road maintenance activities. We strive to meet or exceed these standards; however, weather conditions can impact snow clearing activities.

The Town of Innisfil has 758 lane km of roads, and we aim to clear snow from the busiest roads first. It is our mission to clear all roads within 24 hours of a snow event and we prioritize emergency routes and high-traffic roads.

On average, it takes eight hours to clear a single plow route and it can take an additional six to eight hours to clear a road after snow has stopped falling.

Sidewalks are cleared in the same manner as roads, with high traffic routes cleared first. Depending on how much snow falls, there may be times when the road plow fills in a sidewalk that has just been cleared. The sidewalk plow will return as part of their regular route to go over the area.

Use of salt and other materials

We use salt on our main roads and pickled sand on secondary routes. We take the following into consideration before applying salt or sand:

• Current and expected weather conditions
• Snow accumulation
• Road conditions
• Time of day
• Recent material use

For example, salt becomes ineffective between temperatures of -13 and -15 degrees Celsius. Applying salt or sand prior to a temperature drop could result in icy and dangerous road conditions.

Environmental concerns

Salt and sand that enters ditches and stormwater infrastructure may impact our lakes and waterways. We try to strike a balance between road safety and our commitment to environmental sustainability.

Why hasn't my street been cleared yet?

You can check the snow removal status of your street by using our snowplow tracker. We prioritize emergency routes and high traffic roads when clearing snow. 

Private roads and sidewalks

Our plows don't clear private roads or sidewalks because this is the responsibility of the property owner or local association.

Can the Town remove the snow at the end of my driveway caused by the plow?

The Town will not clear the snow deposited at the end of your driveway after plowing. If you are unable to clear snow from your property, we recommend that you try out Snow Angels Canada for help.

We plow all roads in the safest and most efficient way possible. Windrows or banks of snow at the end of a driveway are unavoidable.

Can my kids play in the snow pile at the end of the street?

There are lots of safe ways for kids to enjoy the winter weather, but we don't recommend building forts or playing in snowbanks along the side of the street because it is not safe. Our crews often need to push back snowbanks to make room for more snow and your child could be seriously injured.

Looking for activities to enjoy in the winter? Try our recreation programs or spend the day tobogganing at Innisfil Beach Park.

Who is responsible for clearing snow around Canada Post mailboxes?

Canada Post is responsible for snow removal around their mailboxes. Please contact Canada Post if you can't access your mailbox.

The mailbox at the end of my driveway was hit by the plow. What should I do?

We don't replace mailboxes that are damaged because of snow thrown from the plow. If there is evidence that your mailbox was damaged from contact with the plow's blade, please contact us to report the damage.

For guidance on placement of roadside mailboxes, see Canada Post's Rural Mailbox Guidelines.

Why isn't Yonge Street cleared by the plow?

Some roads in Innisfil are under the care of a different jurisdiction. The County of Simcoe is responsible for snow removal from:

• Yonge Street
• 5th Sideroad
• 10th Sideroad
• Parts of Innisfil Beach Road

View our road jurisdictions for information about what roads are the responsibility of the Town of Innisfil.