Snow Clearing

Our Roads and Works crews clear snow and ice on 2,000 lane kilometres of roads and 1,100 kilometres of sidewalks.

When it snows, we'll be ready

Armed with plows, sand and salt, our crews are working to clear your roads and sidewalks as quickly and effectively as possible.

Clearing roads and sidewalks

What are primary roadways?

  • Roads with highest speeds.
  • Roads with greatest volume of traffic.
  • Examples: Trafalgar and Upper Middle Roads.

What to expect from our road plows

  • Salting starts when snow first accumulates.
  • Plowing starts when accumulation meets or exceeds 2.5 centimetres.
  • Average time it takes to clear all main roadways is four to six hours after the snow stops falling.

What to expect from our sidewalk plows

  • Salting/sanding starts when sidewalk conditions are deemed slippery.
  • Plowing starts when accumulation meets or exceeds five centimetres.
  • Average time it takes to clear all main sidewalks is 12 to 24 hours after the snow stops falling.

What are secondary roadways?

  • Roads with less traffic than primary roads, but also have bus routes.
  • Generally, lead to primary roads.
  • Examples: Glenashton Drive and West Oaks Trails.

What to expect from our road plows

  • Salting starts when snow first accumulates.
  • Plowing starts when accumulation meets or exceeds five centimetres.
  • Average time it takes to clear all secondary roadways is six to 12 hours after the snow stops falling.

What to expect from our sidewalk plows

  • Salting/sanding starts when sidewalk conditions are deemed slippery.
  • Plowing starts when accumulation meets or exceeds five centimetres.
  • Average time it takes to clear all main sidewalks is 12 to 24 hours after the snow stops falling.

What are residential roads?

  • Local roads and laneways with much less traffic than primary or secondary roadways. 
  • Some seemingly residential roads may be classified as secondary due to high traffic volumes, the presence of facilities such as schools, or due to hills and valleys.

What to expect from our road plows

  • We spread a sand/salt mix only when conditions deem necessary.
  • Plowing starts when snowfall ends and accumulations meets or exceeds 7.5 centimetres.
  • Average time it takes to clear all main roadways is 12 to 24 hours after the snow stops falling.

What to expect from our sidewalk plows

  • Salting/sanding starts when sidewalk condition is deemed slippery.
  • Plowing starts when accumulation meets or exceeds eight centimetres.
  • Average time it takes to clear all local sidewalks is 24 to 48 hours after the snow stops falling.

Transit stops are cleared after:

  • Snow exceeds five centimetres in depth.
  • The roads have been cleared.

Transit stops on primary and secondary roads are cleared first. 

Transit stop clearing is generally completed within 48 hours after the end of the storm. However, when we have a heavy snowfall, or back-to-back snowfalls, it will take longer to clear all stops.

Track snow clearing progress

Check your street's priority

Learn what streets are listed as primary, secondary and residential.

Open the Snow Plow Routes Map (pdf) 

All about winter operations

Looking for more information about how we clear the snow?

Visit the Winter Operations page to browse specific topics related to snow clearing in Oakville.

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. The Parking By-law 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 snowbanks. This helps ensure the Region's collection crews can easily see and access materials. Learn more about the Halton Region waste and recycling program.

Park vehicles off the street when possible

It is important for residents to try and remove their cars from the roads during snow removal activities to allow our plows to clear roads efficiently.

Vehicles parking on the street (with permit or without permit) may be ticketed if obstructing snow clearing operations.

If you have question about on-street parking, please visit the Parking Permits page or read the Parking By-law.

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, 2023 and March 31, 2024.

Learn more on our Driveway Snow Windrow Clearing Program.

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 based on level of service policies and budgets, the transportation network, weather conditions and operational practices. The use of salt has adverse environmental impacts. The Salt Management Plan demonstrates the town's commitment 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.

Oakville Salt Management Plan (pdf)

For more information about ongoing cancellations, please check:

Contact us

For more information

Get additional information by contacting ServiceOakville

Phone: 905-845-6601
TTY: 905-338-4200