Winter Maintenance and Reduced Load Seasons

Winter Maintenance

We are committed to winter maintenance to help keep our roads and sidewalks clear and safe for drivers and pedestrians. Public Works staff remove snow from municipal roadways and sidewalks based on the Minimum Maintenance Standards set out by the Ministry of Transportation and regularly monitor road and weather conditions.

Highway Traffic Act - Minimum Maintenance Standards

Roads patrols are completed twice  a day; between 2:00 a.m. & 4:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. & 12:00 p.m. (noon), followed by two plow runs, as required.  Plowing crews are dispatched once approximately 8 cm of snow has accumulated.

To check current weather and road conditions you can use the following links:

When a Significant Weather Event is declared, hazardous conditions exist and the Municipality’s normal winter maintenance timelines under the Ontario Minimum Maintenance Standards (MMS) are temporarily suspended.

During these events, crews focus on keeping roadways and sidewalks passable and safe as possible.  This declaration isn’t a notice of reduced level of service or a highway closure.  It means you need to be careful when on Municipal roadways and sidewalks, as it may take longer than usual to maintain or improve road and sidewalk conditions. Municipal staff remain diligent in providing continued winter maintenance activities.  Drivers and pedestrians are encouraged to exercise caution when travelling during this event.

Once the event has ended, MMS timelines resume and our crews work diligently to catch up on plowing, sanding and clean up across the municipality.

To allow for safe plowing and snow removal, please remember that parking is prohibited on any street or municipal parking lot from November 1 to March 31 between the hours of 1 a.m. and 6 a.m. in accordance with By-Law 2012-40. Vehicles may be ticketed and towed at the owner’s expense.

By-Law 2012-40

Municipal Road/Sidewalk

Complete a Report a Problem Form or contact the Public Works Department.

Bruce County Road

  • Bruce Road 3
  • Bruce Road 6E
  • Bruce Road 6
  • Bruce Road 28
  • Bruce Road 12
  • Bruce Road 4

Please contact the Bruce County Transportation Department.

Provincial Highway

  • Highway 9

Please contact the Ministry of Transportation (MTO) at 519-873-4223.

Residents and property owners are reminded that, it is prohibited under the Highway Traffic Act to shovel, plow, push or blow snow/ice from your property onto a public road.

  • It creates hazards for drivers and pedestrians 

  • It increases snow drifts

  • It reduces visibility

  • It leaves behind hard snowbanks that can cause significant damage to plow equipment

  • It hinders maintenance activities

Contravention can result in charges being laid by the OPP and you may also be held liable in case of an accident.
Your cooperation is essential in keeping our roads safe!

Highway Traffic Act

While this is not a requirement, the Municipality encourages property owners and residents to voluntarily assist by keeping fire hydrants near their homes or businesses clear of snow.  Your help ensures that fire and emergency services can access hydrants quickly during an emergency, when every second counts.

Here's how you can help:

  • Clear snow from all sides of the hydrant, creating a 3 foot radius around it.
  • Check hydrants regularly after plows pass to ensure they remain visible.
  • Notify municipal staff if you notice the hydrant marker is missing or damaged so that it can be replaced.

When clearing hydrants, please prioritize safety.  Be aware of passing traffic and wear bright or reflective clothing to be seen.

Our staff do their very best to avoid mailboxes when clearing the snow from our roads.  You can help us by:

  • Adding reflective tape to mailboxes to make them more visible, especially during snow storms.

  • Ensure mailboxes are installed in the proper location and the area around the mailbox has been cleared. 

  • Snow should be blown on the right of the box and directly in front to make it accessible for your mail delivery person and make it more visible for our operators.  This also provides some space for the snow to go (see example below).  Mailboxes not cleared of snow or hidden by snow banks will not be replaced and are the responsibility of the property owner.

When requesting a replacement, you are required to report it as soon as possible and have the damaged material available for inspection by the roads department.

The Operations Department will replace or repair any mailbox and/or post that has been physically damaged by its snow removal equipment (i.e. hit by the plow, not by flying snow).  If your mailbox is damaged by snow thrown from the plow, it is your responsibility to repair or replace your mailbox and post as per Canada Post guidelines.  

Mailbox Policy

Do:

  • Be patient.  In heavy snowfalls it takes us longer to get all of our streets cleared
  • Be a good neighbour.  Help those who may not be able to shovel their driveways and sidewalks.
  • Put waste and recycling bins in your driveway and not on the road allowance on your designated collection days.
  • Pile snow on the right side of your driveway, this being the opposite side of the oncoming snowplow, to reduce snow build up/deposit in your driveway.
  • Slow down!  Drive according to the weather and road conditions.
  • When possible, let the salt work on the roads before driving.

Don't:

  • Park on the street during a snowfall, or immediately following a snowfall if plowing is still needed.
  • Park your vehicle at the very end of a driveway or across the sidewalk/boulevard area.  Plow operators aren't able to do their job properly if there are parked vehicles in the way.
  • Follow too closely to snow plows - especially on hills.
  • Place snow from sidewalks or driveways on the street.  This creates a hazard for vehicles and is prohibited by the Highway Traffic Act.

Reduced Load Season

In order to protect roads from damage caused by heavy vehicles, the Municipality of South Bruce enforces a reduced load season during the spring thaw. This applies to all roads within the Municipality of South Bruce.  Reduced load season is regulated through By-law 2016-27 and section 122 of the Highway Traffic Act.

By-law 2016-27Highway Traffic Act

The maximum allowable weight during reduced load season is 5 tonnes per axle in accordance with section 122 of the Highway Traffic Act.

This applies to all commercial, industrial and farm vehicles and equipment.

Please help us reduce the amount of repairs needed on our road system by not having heavy deliveries to your property during this time of year.  Plan ahead and don’t haul heavy equipment such as loaded manure tanks during this season.

Typically, the reduced load season is in effect from March 1 to April 30 each year. However, we may extend or shorten this period due to road and weather conditions. Changes to this period will be published on the Municipal website and social media.

Thank you for your patience during this annual transition into spring!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)

Our fleet includes the following:

  • Snow plows (equipped with salt/sanders)
  • Loader with plow
  • Backhoe loader
  • Sidewalk plows
  • Grader with plow
  • Contractor equipment

Our priority is clearing the travelled portion of the road.  The only place to move the snow is onto the boulevard, which includes driveways.  As a result, snow left at the bottom of driveways is unavoidable.

Owners and/or occupants of residential and business properties are responsible for keeping driveways clear down to the street.  Because street plowing operations push snow from the road to the boulevard, this does fill in driveways.  Unfortunately, the Municipality does not have the resources to come back to remove snow left by its plows at the end of driveways.

Corner lots often receive more snow because plows clear a larger roadway area at intersections.

Pile snow on the right side of your driveway, this being the opposite side of the oncoming snowplow, to reduce snow build up/deposit in your driveway.

  • Sidewalk clearing follows a priority system similar to roads; however, there are weekday and weekend sidewalk clear routes.  On the weekend, not all sidewalks will be cleared.
  • Once snow reaches 8 cm, sidewalk plows are dispatched.  Full clearing may take up to 24 hours.
  • Heavy snowfalls may require blower attachments, which take 2 - 3 times longer.
  • Sand or salt is applied during icy conditions.
  • Drifting snow may refill cleared sidewalks; these areas are addressed during clean-up within 24 - 72 hours.

Canada Post maintains the area around their mailboxes and is responsible for snow clearing.  If you have any concerns, please contact Canada Post at 1-800-267-1177.

The Municipality does not offer snow clearing assistance on private property.  You may be able to get assistance from a family member, a friend or a neighbour, and there are also a number of private snow clearing businesses in the area that provide this service.  Please check online search engine for listings.

Most problem areas on streets are the result of parked cars blocking the snow plows or residents dumping snow from their driveways back onto the public roadway.  For adequate snow clearing operations, the street must be clear of parked cars.  Residents are encouraged to avoid parking vehicles on the street, either during or following a snowstorm and are prohibited from dumping snow on the street.  Depositing snow on the public roadway is an offence under the Highway Traffic Act.  Parking on the street between 1 a.m. and 6 a.m. is prohibited under By-Law.

Call 911.  The emergency services will contact our snow clearing crews and we will work in cooperation with police, fire and ambulance to make sure they can reach you.

Residents are encouraged to clear snow covered catchbasins or to notify the Operations Department at 519-392-6623.

After one snow event ends and the roads have been cleared, we prepare for the next event.  You may see that plows are out pushing snowbanks back off the roadway to expose catchbasins in anticipation of snow melt, or simply to make room for the next snow fall.  We may also be out applying material to the roads in advance of an expected snow event which is forecasted to occur in the near future.

Unfortunately, due to the variations in the plow routes, the difference in the capability and speed of sidewalk plows versus road plows, and the difference in priority routes, it's nearly impossible to align the timing and scheduling of the sidewalk and road plowing operations.

Colder temperatures cause snow to bond to the road surface, creating packed snow from both snowfall and traffic.  As a result, plows cannot scrape down to bare pavement until temperatures rise enough to loosen the snow.