Here Comes the Snow! Mississauga is Ready to Weather the Winter

Life doesn’t stop when it snows and with winter weather on the way, the City’s winter crews are ready to respond to snowfall all season long to keep you moving safely.

“Winter storms with heavier snowfalls are becoming the new normal in Mississauga. Our crews are ready to respond so that you can continue moving safely, easily and quickly around our city,” said Mayor Bonnie Crombie. “When winter weather hits, we all should do our part to keep each other safe and support our crews as they do their critical work. Please be patient, lend a helping hand to your neighbours, give plows lots of space and drive according to weather conditions.”

The City is responsible for clearing snow and ice on City-owned infrastructure, including:

• 5,700 lane kilometres of roads and on-street bike lanes
• 1,700 lane kilometres of priority sidewalks
• 3,300 bus stops
• More than 1,000 pedestrian crossings
• 105 kilometres of roadside multi-use trails

  [Download video]

City staff are also responsible for providing winter maintenance at City facilities including community centres, libraries, and some park parking lots, paved pathways and trails. The Region of Peel is responsible for clearing most regional roads in Mississauga, which are main roads with higher speeds and more traffic than local residential roads.

“Each winter, it’s our priority to keep you moving in the manner that you choose, whether that’s by vehicle, transit, bike, foot, mobility device or any other form of active transportation,” said Helen Noehammer, Director, Works Operations and Maintenance. “While the amount of time it takes to treat and clear infrastructure depends on how much it snows, it can take 12 to 24 hours to clear our priority infrastructure after the snow has stopped. This infrastructure includes priority roads, which are routes for emergency vehicles, public transit, and high traffic volume, and priority sidewalks, which are located along major roads or bus routes or outside of schools, hospitals or long-term care homes. Bus stops, roadside multi-use trails, pedestrian crossings and on-street bike lanes are also cleared during this time. We then move on to clearing residential roads, which are cleared within 24 to 36 hours after the snow has stopped.”

During severe winter events, the City may declare a Significant Weather Event, allowing crews more time to deploy winter equipment to address a significant winter storm. Service level timing starts after the declaration has lifted, instead of when the snow stops.

“The major snowfalls we experienced last winter confirmed that our new winter maintenance contract has the right type and amount of equipment to meet our snow-clearing needs and get the job done,” added Noehammer. “Going into this season, we’ve updated some of our routes and how we deploy our equipment and resources to allow for continuous, 24/7 snow clearing. After every snow-clearing event, our staff debrief together as an opportunity to find efficiencies to improve efforts.”

Residents are reminded to help with snow clearing efforts by:

• Removing parked vehicles on residential streets – parked vehicles limit or block snowplows from clearing and passing through, which can affect emergency vehicles and your commute.
• Clearing your walkway and sidewalk – Clear your walkway and sidewalk so others can travel safely. Consider offering help to those who may need assistance.
• Reporting excess salt use at bus stops – If you see oversalting at one of our MiWay bus stops, you can report it using the Pingstreet app.

Stay up-to-date on snow clearing in Mississauga:

• Visit mississauga.ca/snow to learn more about snow clearing in the city.
• Follow @MississaugaSnow on Twitter for snow-clearing updates.
• Call 311 (905-615-4311 if outside city limits) to find out if winter on-street parking restrictions are in effect or to report a missed street clearing after the level of service timelines have ended.
• Follow @PeelPublicWorks for snow-clearing updates on Regional roads.

Mayor Bonnie Crombie joins Councillor Tedjo, Councillor Horneck and Works Operations and Maintenance staff for the launch of Mississauga’s winter maintenance season.

BACKGROUND

Snow Safety Tips

This winter, take the following actions to ensure your safety and the safety of others:

• Allow for extra time when travelling.
• Give snowplows space to clear snow.
• Drive according to weather and road conditions.
• Remove snow and ice off your vehicle, including all windows, headlights, roof and hood.
• Stay clear of City snow-clearing equipment to avoid injury.
• Wear appropriate footwear to avoid slips and falls.
• Install winter tires for better traction.
• Bring pets indoors during extreme weather conditions.

Winter Maintenance Season B-Roll 

[Download video]

Tags

• Snow Removal and Maintenance