Sidewalk Snow Clearing Be a good neighbour this snowy season!
As winter approaches, we want to remind everyone of the importance of being a good neighbour by keeping our community safe and accessible. After a snowfall, please clear snow and ice from sidewalks promptly. This ensures safe travel for all, whether heading to work, attending essential appointments, or enjoying some outdoor exercise.
We also encourage you to keep an eye out for neighbours who may struggle with shovelling, especially those with disabilities. Winter can pose unique challenges for individuals using mobility aids. By ensuring that sidewalks, accessible parking, and pathways are clear, we can significantly improve their mobility and comfort during the colder months.
Roadway Snow Clearing How and when snow is cleared from roadways
As we prepare for upcoming snow events, we want to keep you informed about our snow removal efforts. The City of Niagara Falls staff will be actively maintaining arterial and collector roads, as well as hills and mist-affected areas near the Falls, to help prevent ice formation.
Plowing Operations
Plowing of arterial and collector roads will commence as snow accumulates.
Once the snow depth reaches 8 centimetres, plowing operations will extend to all municipal roadways, including residential streets and cul-de-sacs.
Stay Informed
To help you navigate winter road conditions, we encourage all residents to utilize the City's online Level of Service Locator tool. By entering your street address, you can see your street's classification levels and better understand your area's snow removal schedule.
With winter's official arrival around the corner, this is a friendly reminder to help us make our snow-clearing efforts more efficient this season by not parking on the street.
Parked cars can make plowing difficult and sometimes impossible! With your help, winter maintenance crews can plow snow faster and more efficiently, and you will reduce the chances of having to dig your car out of a snow drift.
The City of Niagara Falls maintains about 3,080 fire hydrants in its water distribution network. During winter storms, snow often hides these hydrants, delaying firefighters who need to clear them before accessing hoses, which can hinder emergency responses.
To address this, the City’s Adopt-A-Hydrant program invites volunteers to keep hydrants clear after snowstorms. During winter, volunteers and residents are asked to clear a one-meter (three-foot) radius around the hydrant and a one-meter-wide path to the curb.
Here are some simple things you can do to prevent water lines from freezing in your home:
Seal air leaks in your home and garage, especially around your water lines. Look for leaks around electrical wiring, dryer vents, and pipes. Use caulk or insulation to keep cold air out.
If you haven’t done so, disconnect, drain and shut off all outdoor hoses and faucets.
Insulate water lines with a pipe sleeve, especially in unheated areas like crawl spaces, basements, attics and storage rooms.
Insulate all exposed outside water pipes with foam pipe covers.
Keep cupboard doors open if they are beside exterior walls and contain water lines, allowing warmer air to circulate the plumbing.
Do not set the furnace lower than 12C (55F), even at night.
If you’re leaving for vacation, keep the temperature inside your home consistent. Don’t turn off the furnace – set the thermostat in your house to no lower than 12C (55 F).
Questions or concerns? Call the City of Niagara Falls Municipal Works Service Centre at 905-356-1355 for more information.
The City of Niagara Falls maintains 592 kilometres of roads and 218 kilometres of sidewalks and trails in winter. The following staff and equipment work 24/7 in response to forecasted snowfalls and storms:
Over 50 personnel
23 snowplows
Nine sidewalk plows
Six front-end loaders
Our Municipal Works employees work hard to keep public spaces safe and clear and operate efficiently to serve the needs of its residents.
