Winter Controls
The Township of Adjala-Tosorontio Public Works Department provides winter maintenance on Township roads and sidewalks. The Township follows guidelines set out by the Province’s Minimum Maintenance Standards (MMS).
To Report a Concern regarding winter maintenance, please our Report a Concern Form.
If this is an after-hours emergency (downed tree, hydro wire down, large animal on road, stop sign down, etc.), please call the Township office at 705-434-5055 and select option one for Public Works.
Snow Removal
During the winter season, the Township expands its operations by extending working hours and implementing a two-shift schedule instead of a single shift.
After becoming aware that snow accumulation exceeds 10 cm, the Township will deploy resources to reduce the snow accumulation to less than 10 cm within 24 hours after snowfall has ended.
No winter maintenance will be performed.
The plow will be in your neighbourhood 12 – 24 hours after the snow has stopped. Crews work day and night to address snow accumulation.
Service timelines begin after snowfall has ended and may be extended during prolonged or consecutive storm events.
During a major winter storm or a significant snowfall, the Township extends operating hours and increases road patrols to monitor conditions, respond to changing weather, and provide snow clearing and ice control services. Major and high-traffic routes are serviced more frequently to help maintain safe travel conditions. Residential roads are addressed after primary routes have been cleared. Following the end of a snowfall event, crews may require 12 to 24 hours to service all roads, while sidewalks may take up to 48 hours to clear. Additional time may be required during prolonged storms or multiple back-to-back weather events.
Adjala-Tosorontio is divided into nine winter maintenance routes. Under normal conditions, it takes approximately four hours for crews to complete a single route.
Snowplows must clear the full width of the roadway, which will result in snow being deposited at driveway entrances. Township crews are unable to return to clear individual driveway windrows. It is the responsibility of the resident to clear their windrows.
Private Mailboxes
Snow Clearance: The area around a rural mailbox must be kept clear of snow and ice to ensure uninterrupted mail and parcel delivery. Canada Post delivery agents require approximately one vehicle length on both sides of the mailbox to safely pull over, deliver mail, and merge back into traffic.
The Township will make every reasonable effort to protect private mailboxes located along municipal roads during winter maintenance operations. Property owners are responsible for ensuring that mailboxes are properly installed and maintained in good condition to withstand normal snow-clearing activities, including snow discharged from plow blades and wing plows.
If a mailbox is damaged as a direct result of physical contact with Township winter maintenance equipment, the Township will repair or replace the mailbox, as appropriate.
If you believe your mailbox has been damaged during Township winter maintenance operations, please submit a report through the Township’s Report a Concern form for investigation.
For more information about rural mailbox installation and maintenance requirements, please visit Canada Post’s Rural Mailbox Requirements.
Icy Roads
Roads are classified according to Ontario’s Minimum Maintenance Standards based on traffic volumes and operational characteristics. Higher-class roads are serviced more often.
- Class 3 roads: within 8 hours
- Class 4 Roads: within 12 hours
- Class 5 & 6 Roads: within 16 hours
- Unopened Roads: No winter maintenance will be performed
Winter sanding is carried out using a sand-salt mixture applied in a 1.0 to 1.5 metre-wide strip along the centre of the roadway. This treatment helps improve traction and assists the Township in achieving its winter maintenance service level objectives for snow accumulation and icy road conditions.
On unpaved roads, ice blading may be used as a treatment method to address icy surface conditions. Ice blading helps break up and remove compacted snow and ice, improving roadway safety and drivability.
Each spring, the Township conducts street sweeping in urban areas to clear away sand and salt remaining on roadways after the winter season.
Road Closures
The Township does not formally close roads due to weather conditions. Decisions regarding road closures related to weather remain the responsibility of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).
Sidewalks
Currently the Township only maintains sidewalks in Everett and Lisle.
The Township will begin sidewalk snow-clearing operations once snow accumulation exceeds 8 cm and snowfall has ended. The Township will reduce snow accumulation on sidewalks to 8 cm or less within 48 hours of the end of the snowfall event, in accordance with the Minimum Maintenance Standards (MMS).
During a Significant Weather Event, the Township is not required to meet the prescribed maintenance timelines. Sidewalk clearing operations will resume, and maintenance standards will apply, once the Significant Weather Event declaration has ended.
Residents are not required to clear snow from the sidewalk adjacent to their property. However, doing so is greatly appreciated and helps improve accessibility and safety throughout the community.
The Township is responsible for maintaining municipal sidewalks and strives to ensure all sidewalks are maintained in accordance with the Minimum Maintenance Standards (MMS). Resident assistance with snow clearing can help keep sidewalks accessible until Township crews are able to complete scheduled winter maintenance activities.
As outlined in the Minimum Maintenance Standards (MMS), snow accumulation on sidewalks must be reduced to 8 cm or less. Following winter maintenance operations, a sidewalk is considered to be in a state of repair with respect to snow accumulation when the depth of snow is 8 cm or less.
The Township maintains sidewalks in accordance with the MMS and strives to meet the prescribed service levels for snow clearing and winter maintenance.
If you believe the sidewalk may need additional service, contact Public Works. Remember, sidewalks may not be addressed until up to 48 hours after snow has stopped falling.
Please use our Report a Concern form. Administration will document the concern and schedule Public Works to assess the area in the spring as part of regular seasonal maintenance activities. As these types of assessments are conducted during the spring, the issue will be reviewed at that time.
Should the situation become a safety concern before then, please contact us immediately.
Parking
No. From December 1 to April 15 of each year, our snow removal parking restrictions come into effect. Any vehicles that interfere with snow plowing or winter maintenance, may be ticketed or towed. Learn more about parking restrictions.
Residents are asked to be mindful when parking on Township streets during the day in the winter to allow effective road maintenance during heavy snowfalls. Parked cars that impede snow removal operations and plow trucks can be ticketed.
No. Do not push snow onto the roadway or sidewalks. This is a violation of the Highway Traffic Act. Do not push or place snow onto Township property.
The waste bins are not to be placed on the road or sidewalks; this will interfere with snow removal. Bins can be placed on the residents boulevard about 8 ft from the road edge, the County of Simcoe can still pick-up the bins at that distance from the road edge. Learn about bin placement.
Clearing snow from a fire hydrant in your neighbourhood could save precious moments if your home had a structure fire. The Township staff will clear a fire hydrant, though it is extremely appreciated when residents clear ones on their property.
