From mid-June to late October, the Municipality works on Capital projects. Work such as paving and resurfacing is carried out in various locations. Such work can cause traffic disruption, noise, dust and some minor traffic delays.

Residents and property owners will be notified by mail when a project is to take place in their neighbourhood.

Any work that involves repaving will be subject to the five (5) year No-cut Policy. Accordingly, if a resident intends to install any services (water or sewer) which will require the cutting of the asphalt, they are advised to contact us immediately in order that such services can be installed prior to the No-cut Policy taking effect.

Trucks with flashing lights are performing winter maintenance. Please give them room to work and pass with caution as visibility may be compromised with blowing snow. If a snow plow stops, it is likely to back up, so please give them lots of room. You can see them, but if you are driving a small car, they may not see you if you are following too closely.

During heavy snowfalls, property owners are encouraged to assist the Municipality’s snow removal crews by:

• getting vehicles off the streets and parking in your driveway
• keeping fire hydrants clean and visible
• clearing snow and ice from the Municipal sidewalk abutting your property
• keeping catch basins clear of snow and ice for proper drainage during a thaw

To keep roads clear of snow and safe for drivers and pedestrians, residents can also:

• Keep children informed about winter road safety. This includes avoiding digging tunnels near roads or in snowbanks, where cars and snowplows drive by.
• Walk on sidewalks whenever possible. If there are no sidewalks, walk against the traffic on the side of the road.
• Wear reflective clothing at night
• Remove ornaments or decorations placed near the street, as they could be damaged by snow removal activities.

Unfortunately, during snow removal operations, the snow removal equipment operators cannot lift their blade every time they come to a driveway approach. Therefore, if possible, homeowners should wait to clear their driveway approaches until the plows have been able to clear the curb lanes.

For more information on specific inquiries surrounding the Municipality’s snow removal, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions page.

Never push snow from your driveway (including snow banks left by the plows) on the road or across the road, which can create unsafe driving conditions.

Please ensure that your children do not play where snow is piled at the side of the street or in the courts, and near the snow plows, sanders, loaders and tractors. Snow equipment operators may not see children playing in the snow or near the equipment.

Be wary of “black ice” (a thin layer of transparent ice that is formed when the road surface draws moisture from the air and the road temperature is or falls below 0 degrees Celsius.

Immediately following winter, roads are swept to remove the accumulation of any sand and salt from winter street maintenance. If the roads and sidewalks are not quickly swept up soon after the winter season, the spring rain washes the sand into catch basins and water courses, requiring specialized removal of sand.

Street sweeping begins between May 1 to May 31, once snow and ice has melted from road shoulders and curbs. Street sweeping priorities are based on volumes of traffic on roadways where winter road sand may generate excessive dust. Downtown core and main streets are completed first.

Completion and start dates for road maintenance services are all weather dependent.

Weather dependent, asphalt-marking operations usually take place in early June.

In early July, Liquid Calcium Chloride is applied to gravel roads to stabilize the road base and to control dust created by vehicular traffic. Roads may be slippery when wet for a short period of time.

Property owners wishing to construct, install, relocate, excavate, remove or reset an entrance culvert to access their property must first obtain a Private Entrance Permit, authorized by the Public Works Department. A Private Entrance Application form must be completed and submitted.*
*All applicants must refer to By-law 2017/39 before completing this application.

Municipal staff will determine the appropriate culvert dimensions and grades, and indicate if there are any problems with the location. Culvert installation will be carried out by municipally approved contractors, noting that municipal staff will continue to conduct the required inspections.

To learn more, see the Frequently Asked Questions regarding entrances, driveways and culvert installations.

Ontario Provincial Standards frequently referenced documents

• OPSD     810.010
• OPSD     301.010
• OPSD     301.020
• OPSD     802.010

Additional Specifications

• Shoulder of road shall be 4% to 6% and minimum 1 meter.
• Non metal pipe shall have metallic marker fastened to pipe obvert at inlet and outlet.

The Public Works Department maintains approximately 1200 square kilometres

• 535 km of roads (classes 4, 5 and 6):
  • 430 km of gravel roads
  • 41 km of surface treated (LCB) roads
  • 64 km of asphalt (HCB) roads
• 1,000 km of ditches, approximately
• 38.5 km of sidewalks

Roads currently maintained by the MTO

• Highway 17, 2.2 km of Class 2
• Highway 64, 1.6 km of Class 3

Inspections and deployment of services are based on Road Classification and the Ontario Regulation 239/02: Maintenance Standards for Municipal Highways. Here are some relevant guidelines set by the regulation:

Patrolling

Snow Accumulation – Roadways

Ice Formation Prevention

Treatment of Icy Roadways