Snow Plowing and Snow Removal

Picture of Snow plow removing snow from the roadway

The Municipality of Port Hope provides snow removal services to municipal roads and various sidewalks in order to help keep our community safe throughout the winter months. Check out our parking regulations to learn about winter parking.

Snow removal schedule and priorities

We need to prioritize high traffic areas in order to maintain safety and clear roads in an effective and efficient manner. Winter maintenance to municipal roadways and sidewalks are performed following our Snow and Ice Removal By-law, Winter Maintenance – Level of Service Policy (details listed below), and O.Reg. 239/02: Minimum Maintenance Standards for Municipal Highways.

If the snow has not been removed from a priority area by the indicated time, you may contact us or report a concern. Please do not use our municipal after hours emergency line for winter operation inquiries.

Winter Plowing Schedule

What to expect during a winter snow event. Timeline starts when snow accumulation ends. Please note that these timelines may be adjusted when a significant weather event is declared.

Snow cleared within 6 to 12 hours: Major Roads and Arterial Roads (Priority 1)

We will begin plowing after 5 to 8 cm of snowfall for priority level 1 areas. View our Interactive Winter Maintenance Mapping to see what areas are included. Priority Level 1 is red on the mapping. Priority level 1 will receive the following services:

We will remove snow within 6 to 12 hours of the end of the snowfall (except for sequential snowfall events)
Maintain roads to bare asphalt, where feasible
Apply salt as needed

Snow cleared within 12 to 16 hours: Secondary Urban residential roads (Priority 2)

We will begin plowing after 8 cm of snowfall for priority level 2 areas. View our Interactive Winter Maintenance Mapping to see what areas are included. Priority Level 2 is orange on the mapping. Priority level 2 will receive the following services:

We will remove snow within 12 to 16 hours of the end of the snowfall (except in sequential snowfall events)
Maintain the area to bare asphalt, where feasible
Apply salt as needed

Snow cleared within 12 to 16 hours: Urban residential side streets (Priority 3 and 4)

We will begin plowing after 8 cm of snowfall for priority level 3 and 4 areas. View our Interactive Winter Maintenance Mapping to see what areas are included. Priority Level 3 is purple and Priority Level 4 is green on the mapping. Priority level 3 and 4 will receive the following services:

We will remove snow within 12 to 16 hours of the end of the snowfall (except in sequential snowfall events)
Maintain the roads to snow-packed condition
Apply salt as needed

Snow cleared within 16 to 24 hours: Rural Roads

Winter maintenance to the rural roads is not a 24 hour service. In the event of overnight snow, we usually deploy snow plows at 4:30 am. We will begin plowing rural roads after 8 to 10 cm of snowfall.

View our Interactive Winter Maintenance Mapping to see what areas are included. Rural roads will receive the following services:

We will remove snow within 16 to 24 hours of the end of the snowfall (except in sequential snowfall events)
Roads will be maintained to snow-packed conditions
We will apply sand and salt to the road as needed

Snow cleared within 16 to 24 hours: Sidewalks and Crosswalks

View our Interactive Winter Maintenance Mapping to see the areas we clear (please select the layer list in the far right corner and click on "sidewalks" to see this layer). We will prioritize sidewalks in the downtown area and around schools. We provide the following snow removal services:

We will clear the sidewalks and crosswalks within 48 hours of the end of the snowfall (except in sequential snowfall events)
Sidewalks are maintained to bare conditions, where feasible
We will apply salt as, as needed

Please note:

Sidewalks outside of the areas indicated in the Interactive Winter Maintenance Mapping are the responsibility of the property owner. Port Hope's snow clearing by-law gives property owners within the Heritage Business Improvement Area 6 hours from the beginning of a snowfall event to clear snow and ice from sidewalks that surround their property. All other property owners have 48 hours from the beginning of the snowfall to clear the sidewalks. It is the property owner's responsibility to use safety salt or sand on ice and slippery surfaces if necessary.

Other location details

Bridges, bus shelters, and accessible parking spaces

We will clear snow from bridges, bus shelters and school crossings. We also remove snow from accessible parking spaces and crosswalks within the heritage district.

Hydrants

As per section 3.5 of the By-Law 68-2017 - Hydrant Obstruction and Interference. This by-law can be found under our by-law webpage.

During winter months, all citizens shall clear snow from around the Fire Hydrant nearest to their homes to help the Operating Authority in maintaining visibility and accessibility to Fire Hydrants, unless alternate arrangements have been made for snow removal to the satisfaction of the Municipality of Port Hope.

Mailboxes

Mailboxes are the responsibility of the property owner. The Municipality does not clear the snow around mailboxes or guarantee any service levels for rural mail delivery. It is the property owner's responsibility to ensure that all rural mailboxes be installed to the Canada Post requirements for rural delivery. Standard metal mailboxes are replaced if damaged by the Municipality's equipment; however, the Municipality does not accept responsibility for damages caused by the impact of snow on a mailbox during our regular snowplow operations. Mailboxes and mailbox posts should be constructed and maintained to withstand the impact of snow from snowplow operations. If your mailbox is damaged by a direct plow hit, please contact our office to place a maintenance work order. Mailboxes that cannot be repaired will be replaced with a standard metal mailbox.

Please Note: Northumberland County maintains all county roads within the Municipality. The County's snow clearing activities are not included here and can be viewed on their Snow Plowing page.

Placement of Snow on Municipal Right-of-Ways

Residents of the Municipality of Port Hope are reminded that, pursuant to section 181 of the Highway Traffic Act and our Traffic By-law: No person shall deposit snow or ice on a roadway without permission in writing to do so from the Ministry or the Road Authority responsible for the maintenance of the road R.S.O 1990, c.181. Placing snow and ice on roads can interfere with road maintenance and safety.

Sand mix bin locations

We offer free sand mix over the winter season to help residents keep their driveways and sidewalks clear of ice and snow. The bins, which are red and marked with the word "sand", are maintained and filled regularly by our team for use by residents of the Municipality.

Sand Bin interactive map

These bins can be found throughout the Urban area of the Municipality at the following locations:

Clayton Lane at School
Clayton Lane at Hill
Browns Lane
Hagerman Street
Thomas Street between #11 & #15
Thomas Street at Walton Street
Thomas Street at dead end (off Gifford Street)
Gifford Street at #12
Ross Street
Pine Street South at Augusta Street
Catherine Street at Elizabeth Street
Pointer Lane
Alexander Street at Hayward Street
Harris Street
Water Works Filling Station
Oliver's Steps
King Street at Jacobs Ladder
Mill Street at Jacobs Ladder
Harcourt Street at the laneway
Harcourt Street
Ward Street Steps
Dorset Street East at Anglican School
Roseglen Road at the corner of Dorset Street E
Barrett Street at the laneway
North Street at the Dead End
Craig Street
Ravine Drive at # 11
Lyall Place
Centennial Drive at Crossley Drive

Declaring a Significant Weather Event

The Municipality may declare a "significant weather event' when weather conditions or the weather forecast meet the certain criteria as per Regulations 239/02. The municipality will notify the public on our website and social media.
During a significant weather event, we will advise that motorists, pedestrians and residents use extra caution as the municipality may not be able to meet its maintenance standards for roads, bike lanes, and sidewalks.
The declaration does not change how or when the municipality performs its winter maintenance operations. However, it may take us longer than usual to bring the roads and sidewalks back to a state of repair. Public safety is our top priority.
The Municipality of Port Hope will provide updates when the significant weather event has ended.
For additional information on the declaration of significant weather events, view Ontario Regulation 239/02.

Winter driving and pedestrian safety

Visit the Ministry of Transportation for tips on how to drive safely on winter roads. This includes:

installing winter tires on your vehicle
Creating a winter survival kit and leaving it in your car (this might include a blanket or extra coat, flashlight, non-perishable food, water, etc.)
Reviewing how to drive safely in the snow and when you are approaching snowplows

Pedestrian safety

Watch the winter pedestrian and driver safety video, produced by our partners at the Ontario Provincial Police.

Winter Operations Frequently Asked Questions

What should I do with snow I clear from my property?

Pile the snow on your property. It is illegal to push snow onto the road. In accordance with the Highway Traffic Act, you may not place snow or ice on roads without written permission from the Ministry of Transportation or the road's authority body. Placing snow and ice on roads can interfere with road maintenance and safety.

Please be careful not to pile snow around fire hydrants. Our emergency services staff need access to hydrants year round and timing is crucial.

My driveway entrance is full of snow. Will the municipality clear it?

The Municipality of Port Hope does not have the resources available to provide that level of service. Residents are responsible for clearing the end of their driveways.

Snowplowing equipment will leave a ridge of snow across your driveway. It is up to the property owner to remove the ridge left by the snowplow. When shoveling or snow-blowing your driveway, please do not shovel or blow snow into the street.

I just finished clearing snow from my driveway and the plow came by and filled it back in. What can be done about this?

You may need to clear your driveway several times during and after a snowstorm.

Helpful tip: Piling snow to the right side of the driveway can help reduce the amount of snow pushed back into the driveway. Standing in the driveway and looking at the street determines the right side.

The plow damaged my property, what can I do?

While snowplow operators try their best to be careful, some degree of damage is unavoidable. Sod, pavement, trees, and mailboxes are sometimes damaged by our snow-plowing equipment. If this happens to your property, please Report an Issue. We will repair the area that was damaged; we may add your address to our clean-up list to repair in the spring.

Why can't the plow lift the blade at my driveway?

Snowplow equipment is put into operation to clear the snow off the roadway, and in order for this to occur, the blade must stay in contact with the road surface at all times.

The plow has made one pass down my street- when will they return?

One pass plowing is meant to assist residents to get out onto the roadways earlier. Snowplow crews will return later to clear the street completely.

I live on a corner lot. Why does the plow put so much snow in front of my house?

If you live on a corner property and the driveway is close to the corner, you can experience a buildup of more snow on your driveway than your neighbours. This is an unavoidable condition caused by the nature of the snow plow and its ability to maneuver turns.

Shovel your snow in the direction of traffic to reduce the amount of snow that ends up in your driveway. So, if you are looking at your house when standing on the street, pile the snow on your boulevard, left of your driveway.

How can I help?

Please be patient while you wait for your street to be cleared.
Reduce the height of the snowbank at the end of your property by shovelling snow back further onto your property - this improves visibility when entering or exiting your driveway.
Pile snow on the right side of your driveway (as you face the street) so that cleared snow does not get moved back into your driveway by the snowplow
Clear snow away from hydrants
Clear snow away from catch basins.
Place your garbage, green bin and recycling at ground level, with a clear path from the road.
Remove snow accumulations around exit doors, stairways, fire escapes and furnace vents.
Drive according to the conditions, give yourself extra time.
Give plows plenty of room and remember they may have to back up.

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