The first flurries of the season have begun to flutter down. Even with some of the headaches that winter brings, I still always get excited about that first snowfall. We were lucky to have a relatively mild winter last year, but here in Toronto we always have to be prepared for serious snow. In today’s E-Blast, I’m going to share updates on the continuous improvements being made to our winter operations and share some helpful information to help you glide through our coldest season as smoothly as possible.
2024-2025 Winter Maintenance Improvements
After the rocky start to our new winter maintenance contracts in the 2022-2023 season, Toronto’s Auditor General did a deep dive into our winter operations and made a series of recommendations to improve service. Transportation Services staff have been hard at work implementing those recommendations to ensure residents across Toronto receive reliable and high-quality snow clearing from our contractors.
One improvement I’m very glad to see implemented is the Annual Winter Maintenance Report. Each year, Transportation Services will deliver a report on winter operations from the previous season and share improvements for the upcoming season. This year’s report was presented to City Council in July. It breaks down service from the 2023-2024 season, and outlines the improvements that will be implemented this winter season (2024-2025).
The first improvement to report is the full implementation of GPS monitoring of winter maintenance vehicles that began last season. There were supply chain issues that prevented the GPS devices from being fully installed in the 2022-2023 winter season, but all 1200+ pieces of contracted winter equipment had working GPS last year and will be similarly equipped this year. These GPS trackers are essential for ensuring that our winter maintenance contractors are deploying their vehicles promptly and delivering the expected level of service for each and every snowfall.
The GPS devices also allow the City to provide live updates to residents during plowing events via the PlowTO Map. This map shows the real-time location of snow plows, salt trucks, and sidewalk plows, and also allows you to check when a road was last cleared. Transportation Staff have been hard at work improving this map over the past few years. Upcoming improvements include real-time information for windrow clearing and snow removal.
There are also ongoing customer service enhancements to improve the winter experience for Toronto residents. An improvement that was implemented last year was the ability for 311 agents to share detailed updates on winter maintenance Service Requests (SRs) from residents. This year, staff are working to improve communication on SRs and set clear, accurate timeframes for resolution. They’re also working to improve the process for identifying urgent SRs and triaging them accordingly.
In addition to these improvements, staff are continually refining routes for our contractors to ensure they deliver efficient and effective service. As always, you are my eyes and ears on the ground. If you notice any issues with snow clearing on your street this year, please don’t hesitate to reach out to my office. We can help connect you with staff and ensure that any issues on your street are promptly resolved.
Windrow Service Review
Transportation Services staff will also be completing a review of our driveway windrow service this winter season. This is a legacy service that was offered in specific boroughs before amalgamation, where a second plow comes by to remove snow from the end of your driveway. The City continues to offer windrow clearing in areas without on-street permit parking, meaning the service is primarily offered in Etobicoke, Scarborough, and North York (including here in Don Valley North).
While windrow clearing is included in our windrow contracts, issues with windrow clearing are a top complaint received by 311 each winter. We’ve had issues with windrow plows coming extremely late or not at all in recent winters. If we’re going to pay for this service, we need to ensure it’s being delivered in a way that actually benefits Torontonians. I’ll be sure to update our community on the outcome of this review once it’s completed.
Winter Maintenance Service Levels
I always find it’s helpful to remind folks what to expect from our winter maintenance contractors. Below is a quick guide outlining when and how different types of roads are salted and plowed, as well as the timeframes for contractors to complete each round of winter maintenance:
As you can see, Expressways (like the Don Valley Parkway and the Gardiner) receive plowing after 2.5 cm of snow accumulation. Major roads, transit routes and streets with hills receive plowing at 5 cm of accumulation, while residential streets are only cleared after 8 cm of snow. The amount of time to complete each round of plowing also increases with each category. Think about it—there are far more residential streets in Toronto than major roads. If your local street still hasn’t been cleared 14 hours after a major snowfall, be sure to reach out to 311 to report.
You might notice that sidewalks aren’t included in the chart above. That’s because they follow a separate process. The City clears sidewalks after 2 cm or more of snow has accumulated. If the snowfall is lighter, it’s the legal responsibility of residents and businesses to clear sidewalks adjacent to their property within 12 hours of the snowfall ending.
When the City does clear sidewalks, priority is given to busy streets, especially those connecting to schools and transit stops. Local residential streets are addressed later, with sidewalk clearing taking up to 13 hours to complete and continuing for as long as 72 hours after the snow has stopped falling.
For a full breakdown of sidewalk clearing timelines and details, click below:
As always, my office is here to support you with any challenges you may face this winter season. Whether your street was missed during a round of plowing or you have questions about the wonderful winter recreation programs offered by the City, the Don Valley North team is here to help. I also always take this opportunity to plug my Winter Tenant Guide, which is full of helpful information for renters navigating the winter season:
I’ll be back with more end-of-year updates in next week’s E-Blast, so stay tuned. And have a wonderful winter!