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City of Burlington ready for winter 2023/2024

With winter around the corner, the City is reminding residents about its snow clearing service levels as well as tips for staying informed about the City’s response during a snow storm.

Snow Events

Salting of primary and secondary roads is initiated at the start of every snowfall event and plowing will occur when an accumulation of 5 cm is reached. When accumulation reaches 7.5 cm, the City will declare a “Snow Event” in order to advise that local residential road plowing will occur and to announce the prohibition of all on-street parking. During a snow event, road clearing updates will be sent to Snow Control Update subscribers at 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. To receive Snow Control Updates by email, visit burlington.ca/subscribe to subscribe to receive these updates.

When weather events such as snow or freezing rain become more extreme and safe travel becomes more challenging, the City may decide to close some or all City facilities such as community centres, pools, arenas and City Hall.

It is important for people to know that a declared snow event does not automatically mean all City facilities are closed or programs are cancelled.

Potential City facility closures – Stay Informed

When City facilities are closed due to weather, residents can stay informed by subscribing to Facility, Sports Field and Pool Closure updates at burlington.ca/subscribe. Residents can also check our website at burlington.ca/facilityclosures. The recorded message at 905-335-7738 will also be updated when recreation facilities are closed due to inclement weather.

On occasion, a recreation program may be cancelled when City facilities remain open. If a program is cancelled when the facility remains open, City staff will make all efforts to contact the participants in advance.

Snow Clearing Service Levels

Residential roads are not maintained to bare pavement but are sanded as required at intersections, hills and sharp curves to enhance traction.
All sidewalks are plowed after 5 cm of accumulation and salted or sanded as required.
Roads will generally be cleared 24-hours after the snowfall has ended. Heavy snowfalls or successive storms can sometimes extend this period longer than 24 hours. Please be patient as our crews work to clear the busiest streets first.
The City is not responsible for clearing windrows left on driveways when the plow passes. If you think you will need help clearing the windrow, please make arrangements such as speaking with your neighbours, family members or hire a contractor.

Road and Sidewalk Plow Tracker

Residents can visit burlington.focus511.com to see which streets have been plowed. New this year, the City has added sidewalk snow clearing operations to it’s tracking system as well. The tracker provides close to real-time snow clearing updates using GPS technology to track the progress of City’s plows as they clear roads during a Snow Event. When plows pass over a road, the colour of the road on the map changes to indicate a plow is operating in the area. As the clean-up continues, roads throughout the city will change colour until all plowing is complete.

Parking During the Winter

Snow events and parking restrictions are announced through the City’s social media as well as through Snow Control Updates which can be found at burlington.ca/snow. Snow Control Updates can also be emailed to any resident who subscribes.

When a snow event is declared, there is no parking on any city streets until after the snow event has been declared over. The City thanks residents for their cooperation to move their vehicles off city streets to help with snow clearing operations. Residents who park their cars on streets blocking snow removal could be faced with a $120 parking ticket or be towed. The declaration of a snow event means that we expect a large volume of snow that will require clearing. Residents may still be subject to a ticket for parking which impedes road operations despite the actual snow volume.

All existing parking exemptions are invalid during snow events.

What Residents Can Do

During the winter season, the City of Burlington maintains 1,900 lane kilometres of roads and 850 kilometres of sidewalks. Residents can help with the removal of snow from streets and sidewalks by following road safety and parking rules:

Please wait until 24-hours after the snowfall has ended before calling or emailing your road concerns and 48 hours for sidewalk enquiries. It takes time to clean up after a storm; please give us 24-hours after the snow has ended to do this work. Your patience is appreciated.
Do not park vehicles on the street during a snowfall or declared Snow Event. Also, please do not leave vehicles over the sidewalk while in your driveway as this can prevent the sidewalk plow from completing its work.
Do not shovel, plow or blow snow from residential or commercial properties onto the road or across the road. This poses a hazard to motorists and is prohibited by the Ontario Highway Traffic Act and City bylaw.
Snowplows need room to clear the snow. Please stay back 20 meters as sand and salt may be dropping from the trucks. This also gives you room to stop safely.
Do not pile snow in the bike lanes in front of your residence or business.
Give snowplows plenty of space at intersections. The snowplow may need two or more lanes to turn or to get through the intersection. If a snowplow is waiting to turn left at an intersection, do not pull up and stop underneath or in front of the wing plow (the plow attached to the right side of the truck). Your vehicle could be struck by the plow when the truck pulls forward.

Burlington is a city where people, nature and businesses thrive. Sign up to learn more about Burlington at burlington.ca/subscribe and follow @CityBurlington on social media.

Quotes

Rico Scalera, Director of Roads, Parks and Forestry

“It’s important to remember that winter can be unpredictable and both City staff and residents must be ready for any type of weather we receive. Safety is the City’s top priority, and we ask for the public’s continued co-operation and diligence in understanding their shared responsibility for parking off the street during snow events and ensuring that all obstacles are removed from the roadway and sidewalks to allow crews to properly clear snow and ice. ”

Emilie Cote, Director of Recreation, Community and Culture

"As winter weather comes our way, we will closely monitor the weather conditions. In anticipation of severe winter weather, there is a possibility that City facilities may temporarily close to ensure the well-being of residents and staff. We encourage everyone to stay informed through official channels for updates. Your safety is our priority, and we appreciate your understanding in the face of potential closures during this challenging weather period."