Frequently Asked Questions

Snow clearing & ice control

A windrow is a ridge of snow that is left behind after a snow plow or grader passes by.

As per the Council approved Snow Clearing and Ice Control Policy, windrows left by snow plows from back lane plowing operations are not removed by the City. It is the responsibility of the homeowner to do so.

Learn more about the Snow Clearing and Ice Control Policy.

For the purposes of snow clearing, Winnipeg's street system is classified in three categories - Priority 1 (P1), Priority 2 (P2), and Priority 3 (P3). At some times, certain streets may be plowed on an accelerated basis for any number of reasons.

Learn more about the priority system.

Regional Streets (P1) are major routes such as Portage Avenue and Main Street.

Collector streets (P2) include non-regional bus routes and streets that collect traffic from the surrounding residential streets. Streets categories are determined by a few factors, such as traffic volumes and number of lanes.

Learn more about the priority system.

Crews monitor visibility at intersections on a regular basis throughout the winter months and any identified high piles at bus stops, crosswalks, lane entrances, and intersections are reduced to improve the line of sight for motorists and pedestrians.

Priority is given to high piles located on P1 and P2 streets, and to intersections and lane entrances in the vicinity of elementary schools.

High snow piles at entrances to school parking lots and bus staging areas are the responsibility of the school unless the adjacent sidewalk is obstructed, preventing pedestrian traffic.

The City does not remove high piles at private approaches or private entrances.

Learn more about the Snow Clearing and Ice Control Policy.

Sidewalks along P1 and P2 streets are cleared to a compacted snow surface upon inspection following an accumulation of 5 cm of snow.

Sidewalks Downtown are cleared to the paved surface, when possible, within 36 hours following an accumulation of 5 cm of snow.

Learn more about the Snow Clearing and Ice Control Policy.

The ridge of snow, or windrow, left behind on your private approach following a sidewalk plowing operation is the responsibility of the property owner to remove.

Learn more about the Snow Clearing and Ice Control Policy.

At locations where there is insufficient snow storage capacity, such as on bridges and underpasses, and along major routes (P1) and bus routes and collector streets (P2), windrows are removed either with frontend loaders or snow blowers, and hauled by truck to a snow disposal site.

High snow piles at entrances to school parking lots and bus staging areas are the responsibility of the school unless the adjacent sidewalk is obstructed, preventing pedestrian traffic.

Learn more about the Snow Clearing and Ice Control Policy.

All efforts are made to maintain bus routes and bus stop platforms in a safe, snow-free condition. The clearing of bus stops is carried out by crews as part of snow clearing operations.

The plowing standard is one bus-length for normal bus stops. Locations where multiple buses regularly pull up are cleared to approximately three bus lengths. Clearing of bus stops is done as much as possible, concurrent with the plowing operation.

The initial goal is to open as many stops as possible in a short time period. In areas where on-site snow storage is limited, initial clearing or lengthening of the cleared area may take time until a snow hauling operation is undertaken.

Truck plowing operations between major plow events will result in windrows (ridges of snow) along entire streets which could include bus stops. There is often a significant time lag between the plow and loader cleanup of locations. This is due to the high speed of the truck plows in relation to the speed of which a large compliment of front-end loaders can operate, as they may have to go back and forth and haul snow around corners.

Weather permitting, the City uses salt to improve traction and prevent the formation of ice on P1 and P2 streets when temperatures are above -7 degrees Celsius.

Learn more about the Snow Clearing and Ice Control Policy.

To improve traction on the roadway when temperatures are colder than -7 degrees Celsius, crews spread treated sand (which includes approximately 5 percent salt) as required to improve traction on roadways.

Learn more about the Snow Clearing and Ice Control Policy.

A beet based-melting solution is only one of many tools the City uses for snow and ice control on our roads, and is not a replacement for either salt or sand which have different applications. The benefits of using a beet based melting product is that it produces a good quality melting solution effective in colder temperatures (lower than -7 degrees Celsius), the solution is tacky and adheres well to the roadway, plus its an organic material so it reduces the amount of chlorides in the solution. It is used for anti-icing roads, bridges and overpasses and pre-wetting sand and salt during application.

Back lanes are given an accelerated priority for accessibility reasons and to accommodate garbage and recycling collection. Back lanes are normally maintained to a compacted snow surface as opposed to bare pavement. Plowing of back lanes occurs after an inspection warrants a clearing operation, usually following a 5 cm snowfall accumulation or equivalent local drifting conditions. Back lanes should be plowed within three days of the end of an average storm.

Generally, back lane plowing should be undertaken concurrently with P1 and P2 streets. During extended periods of mild weather, it may be necessary to undertake additional plowing of back lanes, where specifically warranted, to reduce rutting.

As per the Council-approved Snow Clearing and Ice Control Policy, windrows left by snow plows from back lane plowing operations are not removed by the City. It is the responsibility of the homeowner to do so.

Learn more about the Snow Clearing and Ice Control Policy.

If a resident wishes to maintain a pathway on the boulevard to the street, it is their responsibility to do so.

During a plowing operation, snow is stored on boulevards in the public right-of-way. Residents are reminded that the City's boulevard is utilized for snow storage.

If a resident wishes to maintain a pathway on the boulevard to the street, it is their responsibility to do so. Residents are reminded that the City's boulevard is used for snow storage.

A service is provided to property owners or occupants who have signed an annual declaration to the effect that they are physically incapable of shoveling their boulevard pathway. Private boulevard crosswalks between the sidewalk and the curb are cleared to a width of 0.7 metres by the City, after the street clearing operations are completed.

Properties with front driveways do not quality for this service. The following criteria must be met to qualify for this special service:

  1. The property owner/occupant has an accessibility issue and is physically incapable of shoveling snow (copy of medical certificate is required for all new applicants). This service is not provided for those with a short-term disability/handicap (eg. knee surgery).
  2. No other able-bodied person resides in the property owner's/occupants house.
  3. The property owner/occupant is unable to arrange to have this work done by others due to financial circumstances.

Upon request, application forms for this service are mailed to residents to be filled out and returned with a copy of a doctor’s certificate.

Where applicable, a Bylaw Enforcement Officer will personally interview the applicant to verify the above criteria.

For more information, please contact 311.

There are many agencies that assist seniors and persons with accessibility issues. For more information on all types of services provided, please call the Community Home Services Program at 204-927-1720.

Snow being dumped onto your private property is a matter between you and your neighbour, and the City does not get involved. If you have tried to discuss the problem with your neighbour and have been unable to resolve this issue, you can contact Mediation Services at 204-925-3410 and/or a lawyer to answer any legal questions you may have.

No, that is not permitted. In the event that you have witnessed a situation such as this, please contact 311. A Bylaw Enforcement Officer will investigate the situation, and if necessary, issue a notice.

Residents are not allowed to dump or take snow from one location and dump it onto another property.

A loading zone designation does not have a special snow clearing status, and it does not restrict snow storage areas. The only loading zone locations that are cleared by the City are those designated by Winnipeg Transit Plus.

Windrows (ridges of snow) resulting from snow plowing operations are not removed from loading zones serving commercial, industrial, or apartment buildings.

OurWinnipeg, approved by Council in 2011, identified winter maintenance of active transportation as a priority. The 2015 Pedestrian and Cycling Strategies, which lay out guiding principles for network connectivity and improving year-round maintenance access, further supported enhanced maintenance.

To facilitate an informed improved maintenance strategy, the City engaged with a number of stakeholder groups and presented to Council recommendations for making daily walking and cycling convenient and accessible year-round for people of all ages and abilities.

On June 21, 2018, Council concurred in the recommendation of the Standing Policy Committee on Infrastructure Renewal and Public Works that the Council Policy on Snow Clearing and Ice Control be amended for the 2018 snow season and beyond to include the winter re-prioritization of the roadways, sidewalks and active transportation pathways for improved snow clearing.

The City will hire additional hourly equipment and operators to achieve the required level of service on the active transportation priority routes.

The City established priority routes through consultation with various stakeholders and an internal technical review.

We would like to hear feedback from users of the active transportation pathways; residents can contact 311 with their comments.

We are not reclassifying spring cleanup service levels; however, residents who feel their boulevard has in excess of two wheelbarrows full of sand at the time of spring cleanup are asked to contact 311 to schedule cleaning.

The improved method of winter maintenance for priority active transportation routes city-wide will ensure that key pedestrian and cycling routes are cleared quickly following a snowfall to provide uninterrupted and effective connections between various neighbourhoods, transit facilities, and the downtown.

Approximately 328 km of streets, 170 km of sidewalks, 55 km of active transportation pathways, and 14 km of parks pathways have been reclassified.

Residents can request sanding on slippery roads, sidewalks, and pathways by reporting a location using the sanding request form, which provides all the information needed to process a service request.

If the snow clearing status map displays that an area has been completed, but a street, sidewalk, or pathway was missed, residents can report the location using 311’s quick and convenient snow removal request form , which provides all the information needed to process a service request.

If a residential street was not cleared as scheduled during a Residential Parking Ban, it will be cleared after plowing has been completed city-wide.

Parking Bans

The City has five winter parking bans that can be declared to support snow clearing operations.

Learn more about parking ban descriptions.

For information on snow routes, you can consult the snow route map and search an address.

It's important that crews be able to conduct their work in an efficient and effective manner, and vehicles parked on the street present significant challenges to snow clearing operations.

The most efficient way to ensure residents respect the overnight parking bans is a clear and consistent application and enforcement, which is why the Annual Snow Route Parking Ban is applied in a similar manner on all designated streets.

The timeframe that the ban is in effect, from 2 a.m. to 7 a.m., was developed to respect business needs and to ensure snow is cleared ahead of the morning rush hour period.

There are situations in which snow removal equipment may conduct a second pass or return to do additional work. We ask that residents respect parking bans to ensure crews are able to efficiently and effectively plow streets.

The Annual Snow Route Parking Ban is in effect from December 1 up to March 1. Vehicles may not be parked between 2 a.m. and 7 a.m. during the parking ban. Enforcement ends at 7 a.m. on the last day of February. Snow routes are clearly marked with signs like this:

Vehicles parked in violation of the annual snow route parking ban may receive a $100 ticket ($75 if paid early), and may be towed to the towing company's compound.

Find out whether a property is on a snow route by using the interactive snow route map

When declared, the Extended Snow Route Parking Ban extends parking restrictions on designated snow routes by two hours, from to midnight to 7 a.m.

Vehicles parked in violation of either ban may receive a ticket of $100 ($75 if paid early), and may be towed to the towing company's compound.

For more information, visit the Parking Bans webpage or register for email notification of upcoming parking bans.

Residents can search an address online for more information, or download the Know Your Zone app, to receive push notifications.

Vehicles parked in violation of the residential parking ban may receive a $200 ticket ($150 if paid early), and may be towed to a nearby residential street that is not scheduled to be plowed or that has already been cleared.

If your vehicle has been towed, please contact 311 for its location.

The Highway Traffic Act allows municipalities to impose residential parking bans for snow removal without erecting signs provided conditions set out in the Highway Traffic General Regulations are met. In addition, erecting “no parking signs” signs on all residential streets in the city when a Residential Parking Ban is declared is not logistically feasible in a short timeframe, and is cost prohibitive. The City informs residents and motorists about winter parking bans, and when a Residential Parking Ban is declared through a variety of means including news releases, social media, direct email notifications to subscribers, Facebook posts, Twitter notifications, and web updates.

Vehicles parked in violation of the residential parking ban may receive a $200 ticket ($150 if paid early), and may be towed to a nearby residential street that is not scheduled to be plowed or that has already been cleared.

If your vehicle has been towed, please contact 311 for its location.

For a residential plowing operation (P3), if the Snow clearing status map shows that a zone has been completed, but a residential street, or windrows in excess of 20 cm (8") high at private approaches, have been missed and need to be cleared, residents can report the location by using 311's quick and convenient online form, in either English or French, which provides all the information needed to process a service request.

If a residential street was not cleared as scheduled, it will be cleared after plowing has been completed city-wide.

Residents are advised to check their snow zone letter at the beginning of the winter season, as the snow zone letter may change from year-to-year.

To find out your snow zone letter, search your address or download the Know Your Zone app.

Learn more about snow routes.

It is possible that your snow zone may need to be scheduled for more than a single 12-hour shift. This could occur when the progress of the snow clearing operation is delayed due to heavy accumulations of snow and ice, or when plowing is required during extreme cold temperatures. If additional plowing is required, crews will return to your street after the overall plowing operation is completed to finish clearing your location.

For information on plowing operations, refer to the snow clearing status map.

In some cases, crews are able to proceed faster than expected, and may move into areas that have not been identified for plowing for that shift.

In those instances, the plowing crews clear the non-parking side of the street only. The parking side of the street would then be scheduled for clearing the next shift when the residential parking ban applies.

Residential streets are prioritized based on several factors, including the day of the week and the start time of the plowing operation. Generally, plowing of residential streets is determined based on the garbage and recycling collection schedule. However, in cases where plowing operations and garbage and recycling collection days intersect, crews will move the carts before plowing is undertaken and will place them back once the plowing is completed.

If a residential street was not cleared as scheduled, it will be cleared after plowing has been completed city-wide.

In these instances:

  • You won't be notified directly about the snow clearing.
  • Watch for temporary no parking signs that may be placed on your street.
  • Vehicles parked in violation of temporary no parking signs may be ticketed and towed.

Residents are advised to contact 311 following the completion of the residential plowing operation to report a missed street.

For information on plowing operations, refer to the snow clearing status map.

No, snow zones do not apply to roads in rural locations in Winnipeg, and the street would not be included when a residential parking ban is declared. Plowing will be undertaken at a separate time with no additional parking restrictions.

No, snow zones do not apply to streets in industrial areas of Winnipeg, and the street is not included when a residential parking ban is declared. Snow clearing will be undertaken at a separate time with no additional parking restrictions.

No, the street is cleared as a back lane and snow zones do not apply. Plowing will be undertaken at a separate time with no additional parking restrictions.

Service roads are cleared as part of the residential street snow clearing operation and as such are assigned a snow zone letter.

If required, where parked cars are problematic to the snow clearing operation, temporary no parking signs will be placed on the service road to aid snow clearing at a later time.

Residents can sign up for notifications and download the Know Your Zone app, for updates.

Temporary "No Parking" signs are used to prohibit vehicles from parking on streets so snow removal equipment can perform their operations. Vehicles parked on the street at the time the temporary signs are placed are documented, and that information is shared with Parking Compliance Officers. Only vehicles parked after the signs went up will be ticketed and towed to a compound at the vehicle owner's expense.

Vehicles that were parked prior to sign placement and still parked when work commences will be towed out of the way of snow plows to nearby locations. Vehicle owners can contact 311 to find out the location of their vehicle.

Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR) technology is being used to identify vehicles parked in violation of the Annual Snow Route Parking Ban and Residential Parking Bans. ALPR will be used to enforce the Annual Snow Route Parking ban beginning in January 2022; while it will be used to enforce Residential Parking Bans as of December 2021. The goal is to ensure greater city-wide parking enforcement coverage, improve motorist compliance with winter parking bans, and improve our overall snow clearing service. Those parked in violation will receive tickets in the mail, rather than on the dash of the vehicle.

ALPR technology helps improve the safety of enforcement officers, bystanders, and drivers by reducing the potential for confrontations; it also assists with traffic flow during peak hours, as officers don't always need to stop their vehicles in a lane of traffic to issue a penalty notice.

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