Snow Clearing News and Notices

The City maintains 1,100 lane km of roads, nearly 750 km of sidewalks and clears snow windrows from the end of 55,000+ local, residential driveways.

Weather conditions trigger the following services:

• 0-5 cm of snow/ice – Salting of roads; salting and plowing of sidewalks as required
• 5+ cm of snow in forecast – Winter Event declared and on-street parking is prohibited
• 5+ cm of snow accumulated – Plowing of roads, sidewalks and windrows
• 10+ cm of snow – Significant Weather Event may be declared; operations may take longer than usual

Our goal is to maintain roads so they are safe and passable. Some snow and/or slush may remain in places.

Learn more about:

• Road and sidewalk clearing
• Snow windrow clearing (citywide service) 

Residents can help winter operations run smoothly and safely by doing the following:

• Keep roads and sidewalks clear of parked cars when it’s snowing and before snow is expected, so plows and emergency vehicles can get through or you could be ticketed and/or towed. Winter maintenance operations start before it snows
• Make sure to park in a way that does not block the sidewalk. Vehicles that overhang sidewalks make it difficult for plows to pass through safely
  and may cause delays in sidewalk clearing
• Do not place anything within one metre of a road, curb or sidewalk that can become hidden and cause issues for plow operators (e.g. basketball nets, landscaping features, etc.)
• Do not park near the bottom of your driveway
• On your waste collection day, place waste bins away from the curb on the right side of your driveway (when facing the house), so we can clear the snow windrow
• Do not shovel snow back onto the road or sidewalk
• Driving near a snow plow? Keep a safe distance. Blowing snow and blind spots can obscure a driver’s vision, making it harder to see smaller vehicles
• Be a Hydrant Hero by clearing one metre of snow from around fire hydrants near your property to make them accessible in case of an emergency

You cannot park on the street when the City of Richmond Hill has declared a ‘Winter Event’ which is expected to require snow clearing. If your vehicle is parked on the street during a winter event or so as to interfere with winter operations, you may receive a ticket and have to pay a fine. If your vehicle is in the way of our plows, salters or emergency vehicles, it could be towed.

In addition, there is no parking on any street between 1 a.m. and 7 a.m. from December 1 to March 31.

For more information, visit the Parking page.

Temporary Parking Permits

When a ‘Winter Event’ is declared, temporary on-street parking permits are not valid for on-street parking. During this time, you can park at select City-owned facilities if you cannot arrange alternative off-street parking. Please ensure that the temporary parking permit is displayed clearly on your vehicle’s dash. A list of select City-owned facilities can be found at RichmondHill.ca/ParkingPermits.  

A ‘Winter Event’ is declared when 5+cm of snow/icefall is expected within the next 24 hours. During Winter Events, on-street parking is prohibited. Temporary parking permits are no longer valid for on-street parking, but can be used at select City-owned facilities.

A ‘Significant Weather Event’ may be declared when an approaching or occurring extreme weather hazard has the potential to pose danger to users of roadways and sidewalks. Extreme weather conditions include freezing rain, significant snowfall, strong winds, blowing snow and reduced visibility. As a result, it may take longer than normal to complete winter maintenance activities.

You can find answers to some of the most frequently asked snow clearing questions on our Winter Maintenance FAQs page.

• Snow will be cleared from sidewalks within 14 hours after snow stops falling.

• Driveway snow windrows will be cleared (1 car width) within 13 hours after snow stops falling.

• Roads will be cleared of snow within 16 hours after snow stops falling (with the exception of wide bends, dead-ends and cul-de-sacs which may take up to 24 hours).

• Road plowing will start once 5 cm of snow has accumulated.