COVID-19 Information
Masks requirements have been extended in select indoor settings, including Oakville Transit.
Masks are no longer required to enter any town facility.
Snow Clearing
Armed with plows, sand and salt, our crews are ready to clear your roads and sidewalks as quickly and effectively as possible. We maintain 2,000 lane kilometres of roads and 1,100 kilometres of sidewalks, so your patience is appreciated.
Looking for what roads have been plowed?
Follow our progress with the snow plow tracker or call our Snow Clearing Information line at 905-815-5999.
Understanding road priority
What are primary, secondary and residential roads?
Primary roads are those with the highest speeds and greatest volume of traffic such as Trafalgar and Upper Middle Roads.
Secondary roads, such as Glenashton Drive and West Oaks Trails, are roads that have less traffic than primary roads, but also have bus routes and generally lead to primary roads.
Residential roads have much less traffic than primary or secondary roadways. Some seemingly residential roads are classified as secondary due to high traffic volumes, the presence of facilities such as schools, or due to hills and valleys.
Road Priority Map
Use this map to identify primary, secondary and residential roads.
Road Priority Map (pdf)
Types of snow clearing
Plowing
When snow begins to accumulate:
- Primary and secondary roads are cleared first to ensure that you, and emergency vehicles like fire trucks and ambulances, can safely travel during or immediately after a snowfall.
- Residential roads are plowed after snow accumulates in excess of 7.5 centimetres (three inches).
When all roads need plowing:
- They are cleared within 24 hours after the end of the storm
- Heavy snowfalls or successive storms can sometimes extend this period longer than 24 hours
To find out what roads have been plowed, use our Snow Plow Tracker or call our Snow Clearing Information line at 905-815-5999.
Salting
Sand/salt trucks are dispatched at the start of a snowfall and at the first sign of roads beginning to ice.
- Primary roads: Roads with the greatest volume of traffic, called primary roads, are salted or sanded first.
- Secondary roads: Secondary roads that lead to primary roads are salted or sanded next.
- Residential roads: Residential roads generally receive sand/salt treatment at intersections, hills and sharp curves.
Sidewalks
Sidewalks are cleared if:
- Primary and secondary roads are cleared only after snow accumulates in excess of five centimetres, and only after roads are cleared.
- Residential sidewalks are cleared after eight centimetres of snow accumulates.
Sidewalks located on primary and secondary roads with schools are plowed first, followed by residential sidewalks.
Sidewalk salting and sanding is done only on primary and secondary sidewalks when extremely slippery conditions exist.
Things you can do:
- If you have a catch basin near your home, please keep it clear so melting snow has somewhere to go.
- Remove snow from fire hydrants near your property. Every second counts during an emergency!
- Remove plowed snow at the end of your driveway. Snow plow operators must push snow to the curb or shoulder, possibly covering recently shovelled driveways.
- Park vehicles off the street when possible. By-law 1984-1 prohibits parking of vehicles on town streets between 2 and 6 a.m. from November 15 to April 15. During a snow event our plows need to be able to easily move snow on the roads.
- Check on your neighbours. They might appreciate some help shovelling snow.
- On your scheduled waste collection day, please place Blue Box, Green Cart and garbage at the curb or at the end of your driveway, away from snow banks. This helps ensure the Region's collection crews can easily see and access materials. Find more waste tips at the Halton Region website.
Looking for more information related to our Snow Clearing operations?
Visit our Snow Clearing Frequently Asked Questions page to browse specific topics related to winter operations.
Park vehicles off the street when possible
By-law 1984-1 prohibits parking of vehicles on town streets between 2 and 6 a.m. from November 15 to April 15.
During a snow event our plows need to be able to easily move snow on the roads.
Vehicles may be ticketed for obstructing snow clearing operations.
Having guests?
Temporary On-Street Parking Permits are available for visitor/guest parking when parking requirements temporarily exceed parking provisions. However, during a snowstorm a permit will not be valid for use on the road.
Request a temporary parking permit or visit the Parking Permits page for more details.
What is a snow windrow?
A snow windrow is the pile of snow that is left at the bottom of a driveway after the snow plow has cleared the road. The town's windrow clearing program helps seniors 65+ and people with physical disabilities or medical conditions that are unable to clear the windrow on their own.
The program runs between December 1, 2021 and March 31, 2022.
Learn more on our Driveway Snow Windrow Clearing Program page.
Why did the plow create a windrow on my driveway?
Plow operators do not intentionally block driveways.
With over 55,000 driveways in Oakville, it is not practical for plow operators to lift their blades at every driveway. The plow operator also has limited control over the amount and direction of snow that comes off the plow.
When clearing your driveway, try to pile the snow on the right side (standing in your driveway and looking towards the street). This can help reduce the amount of snow that is pushed onto your driveway when a snow plow passes.
Help protect the environment by using less salt
Road salt works well to melt ice and snow around your property but it also has long-term impacts on the environment. Check out these green-friendly tips to clear your driveways, walkways and sidewalks and keep safe while using less salt!
- Before snow falls or temperatures drop to freezing, spread a small amount of salt on your driveway/walkways to help stop ice and snow from sticking to the surface.
- Clear snow and ice from your driveway and walkways as soon as possible – this helps reduce ice build-up and means you can use less salt.
- After a snowfall, salt should only be used once snow has been removed and only on areas needed to ensure safety.
- Salt is less effective at temperatures below -10C. Alternatives like sand, grit, non-clumping kitty litter or magnesium chloride can be use when it’s too cold for salt to work.
Salt Management Plan
Road salts (primarily sodium chloride) are the conventional de-icing/anti-icing chemicals for maintaining winter safety because of their cost, effectiveness and ease of handling. The amount of salt used is a function of level of service policies and budgets, the transportation network, weather conditions and operational practices. The use of salt has adverse environmental impacts. A Salt Management Plan provides the means through which an organization commits to implementing salt best management practices as it fulfills its obligation to provide safe, efficient and cost-effective transportation systems. The Town of Oakville Salt Management Plan will continue to provide the public with the safe and efficient transportation systems they expect, while minimizing effects on the environment through prudent salt use.
Cancellations
For more information about ongoing cancellations, please visit our Weather-Related Closures and Cancellations page.
