The City’s winter maintenance crews clear priority roads and sidewalks, on-street bike lanes, bus stops, pedestrian crossings and specific trails within 12 to 24 hours of the snow stopping.
Crews clear residential roads within 24 to 36 hours of the snow stopping.
Although we salt and plow roads and sidewalks to make them safe and passable, some snow may remain. Only priority roads are cleared to bare pavement.
It may take us longer to clear roads and sidewalks if there are back-to-back storms, or a significant weather event.
Snow plow tracker
Use the updated snow plow tracker to view a map of our snow clearing routes and track our entire fleet as it clears streets and sidewalks across the city.
This online tracker can be used on desktop and mobile devices, so bookmark the page or save it for quick access. We will no longer support the Mississauga Roads 2.0 app. If you downloaded the app in the past, you can remove it from your Apple or Android device.
When snow will be cleared
The amount of time it takes to treat and clear roads and sidewalks depends on the amount of snow that’s fallen.
The City plows when five centimetres of snow or more accumulates. If there is less than five centimetres of snow, roads, sidewalks, bus stops and trails are salted, but not plowed.
| Type of road | Less than 5 cm of snow | 5 to 15 cm of snow | 15 to 30 cm of snow | More than 30 cm of snow or back-to-back storms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Major and priority roads, priority sidewalks, bus stops, pedestrian crossings, specific trails | Salted within 12 hours after the end of a snow fall | Plowed and salted within 12 hours after the end of a snow fall | Plowed and salted within 24 hours after the end of a snow fall | Plowed and salted more than 24 hours after the end of a snowfall |
| Residential and secondary roads | Salted within 24 hours after the end of a snow fall | Plowed and salted within 24 hours after the end of a snow fall | Plowed and salted within 36 hours after the end of a snow fall | Plowed and salted more than 36 hours after the end of a snowfall |
Back-to-back storms
If the snow starts and then stops again, these timings will reset.
Significant weather events
In extreme weather conditions, the City may declare a significant weather event. During a significant weather event, the timing for winter maintenance crews to clear the snow resets when the event is over.
Priority roads
Priority roads are routes for emergency vehicles, public transportation and most street traffic. Certain residential roads are also considered priority roads, depending on their geography.
The Region of Peel clears snow on regional roads:
- Airport Road
- Britannia Road West/Hurontario Street to west City limit
- Derry Road East and West
- Dixie Road
- Erin Mills Parkway/North Sheridan Way to Mississauga Road/Turner Valley Road
- Mississauga Road/Turner Valley Road to northern limit of the City
Priority sidewalks
Priority sidewalks are located on major roads or bus routes, or outside of hospitals, schools or long-term care homes.
Winter salt and the environment
The City uses rock salt, or sodium chloride, to clear main roads, residential streets, sidewalks and bus stops. If there’s a major storm coming, the City may use brine to pre-treat priority roads a few days ahead of time. Brine is water saturated with salt. Spraying it on the roads makes it harder for ice to form, making the roads easier to plow.
If the temperature drops below -7° Celsius, we use treated salt, or magnesium chloride on residential, non-priority roads. Treated salt works better at colder temperatures, which means we can use less salt, and there’s less of an impact on the environment.
Snow around your home
Be a good neighbour and make sure you clear your sidewalk and driveway of snow and ice as soon as possible after a snowfall. This will allow others to travel safely, whether they’re going to work, essential appointments, or getting some exercise.
Residents can also help older adults and people with physical disabilities by offering to help clear snow and ice from their property.
Contact us
If your street has not been salted or plowed within these timelines, please contact 311 (905-615-4311 outside City limits).