Winter Control – Snow Removal

Roads Operations Division is responsible for clearing snow from County-owned roadways, municipal parking lots and sidewalks in front of County property.  Roads Operations are also responsible for monitoring weather forecasts and patrolling of roads.  Road patrolling, weather monitoring and road operations/snow clearing services are scheduled on a 24 hours a day, 7 days a week basis during the winter season.

The Winter Control Program is typically scheduled from November 15 to April 15 of the following year.

  • wet road with snow covered trees

Snowplowing

Each roadway in Haldimand County is classed in accordance with the Ontario Maintenance Standards, a provincial regulation that sets out standards to class each road in a class of 1 through 6, based on the number of vehicles per day and the posted speed limit.  Haldimand County’s approved winter control service levels are planned and scheduled in accordance with this regulation on a County wide basis.  For snow clearing operations, each road class has specific limits of snow accumulation and response times for snow clearing.  As a result, major arterial roads are the number 1 priority and with higher traffic volumes, these roadways are maintained 24 hours per day during the winter control season.  Typically, residential and/or rural non-priority streets and roads are cleared on a secondary deployment schedule.

snowplows

Plow Priority Route Map

Why didn’t the snowplow clear my street?

There are several possible reasons why a snowplow would not clear a street:

  • The snowplow may have been salting/sanding the street/road only.
  • If there are too many parked vehicles on the street/road, the snowplow may not have enough room to plow.
  • All priority streets/roads are scheduled before non-priority streets/roads, therefore the plow could pass by a lower priority street or road on route to a higher priority street/road.

Snow Clearing

Property Damage

If a resident has sustained damage to their property caused by a snowplow, please contact a Customer Service Representative at 905-318-5932 to report the damage.  An inspection, assessment and recommendation will be completed by Roads Operations staff.  Please note that permanent repairs will not be planned and scheduled until the spring.

Mailboxes

Sometimes a snowplow will accidentally hit a resident’s mailbox.  The County will repair or replace a damaged or destroyed mailbox if it is deemed the result of snow clearing operations.  Please contact a Customer Service Representative at 905-318-5932 to report mailbox damage.  The County’s standard replacement mailbox may not necessarily be the same as the original mailbox.  Damaged posts will be replaced with temporary posts until permanent repairs can be scheduled in the spring.

Mailboxes damaged by snow load off of the plow equipment during normal snow clearing operations will not necessarily be eligible for repair or replacement by the County.  Mailbox owners are required to maintain their own mailboxes.

Private Driveways/Sidewalks

The County does not clear snow from private driveways and sidewalks.  The main objective of snow clearing operations is to make sure that roads are clear for through traffic.  Winter maintenance of private drives and entrance ways is the homeowners responsibility.

The County removes snow from sidewalks in front of County property only.  Residents are responsible for clearing snow and ice from sidewalks in front of their property.

If you are a senior citizen and need help with snow clearing, please contact Haldimand Norfolk Senior Support Services – Safety at Home Program at 1-800-265-2818

Fire Hydrants

Per Snow and Ice Removal By-law 301-02, homeowners with hydrants in front of their property are responsible for clearing the snow from around the hydrant.

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Snowplow safety tips

Please keep these safety tips in mind when driving during the winter season:

  • Keep a safe distance between your vehicle and the snowplow when travelling behind a snowplow.
  • Snowplows often reverse when performing snow clearing operations at intersections.
  • Vehicles travelling too close behind a snowplow can be very difficult to see during winter conditions and blowing snow generated from the plows.
  • Keeping a safe distance back from snowplows at all times allows the driver time to perform snow clearing operations safely.

Adjust your speed according to the winter weather and road conditions to safely reach your destination.  Thank you for your cooperation!