Downtown Sidewalk Snow Removal – Know your Responsibilities as a Business Downtown

The owner or occupant of every occupied building and the owner of every unoccupied building or vacant land required under section 5.1 of this By-law to clear away and remove all snow and ice from the sidewalks shall do so: 

a) before 10:00 a.m. on every day in the year, except Holidays as defined in the Retail Business Holidays Act and Sundays; and thereafter, 

b) by monitoring sidewalk conditions between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. on every day in the year, except Holidays as defined in the Retail Business Holidays Act, and Sundays, and to continue to keep the sidewalks cleared of snow and ice at all times. 

The owner or occupant of every occupied building and the owner of every unoccupied building or vacant land required under section 5.1 of this By-law to clear away and remove all snow and ice from the sidewalks shall deposit such snow and ice at the edge of the street immediately adjacent to the curb, in such a way so as to not obstruct the traveled portion of the street or access to any fire hydrant.   

For the Full City Bylaw click HERE

Downtown Snow Bank Removal

Snow Removal in the Core is initiated when the average height of banks reach .6 metres. There is a sequence on how this is conducted for safety. The following list breaks down the sequence on how the City removes snow from the streets. It should be noted that this list may not be completed seamlessly because the blower operation may need to continue beyond the core streets on Ontario, Erie and Huron before completing Core streets.

1. Wellington and Marketplace
2. Ontario, Erie and Downie Street
3. Other core streets with on-street parking
4. Core streets without on-street parking

The City attempts to accomplish this within 48 hours of a snow event.

Please see more information in the Guide to Snow Removal in the city centre.