Our staff work hard to clear, maintain, and provide safe routes of travel during the winter over our 413 kilometers of roads. We clear accumulated snow, and apply salt, sand or a salt/sand mixture to our roads.
All roads are cleared after every major storm.
Canadian winters can be harsh, and we appreciate your patience as we work to clear roads during bad weather events. It is important to remember to avoid travelling in bad weather unless absolutely necessary, and to drive carefully and according to weather and road conditions if needed.
Snow Plow Routes |
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There are 13 plow routes in the Municipality of Meaford. Ten of these routes are dedicated to roads, while the other three include parking lots and sidewalk clearing. Road ClassesRoads are cleared in priority order based on their road class. Road classes are determined by the traffic counts for each road, so more highly-travelled roads are cleared first during snow events. Road clearing standards are set by the Province of Ontario. Here are the regulations for each road class:
See the Urban Road Class Map or Rural Road Class Map to find out class of roads in your area. |
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Sidewalks |
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About 60% of our urban roads have sidewalks. The sidewalk plow route focuses on the downtown core, main street, and school areas. The “no winter maintenance” sidewalks are deemed too narrow, do not lead anywhere, or cannot be maintained because of other issues. For more information, see the Sidewalk Maintenance Map. |
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Significant Weather Events |
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As per Regulation 239/02 of the Ontario Municipal Act, a municipality may declare a significant weather event when the weather forecasted or current has the potential to pose a significant danger to the users of the roadway. Should a significant weather event be declared, this will suspend the standard timelines required for municipalities to meet their winter maintenance service level requirements. Under this declaration, all roadways and/or sidewalks are deemed to be in a state of repair for snow accumulation and/or ice conditions, until the municipality declares the event has ended. Once the municipality has declared the event has ended, standard timelines for winter maintenance service levels begin. Conditions The conditions in which a significant weather event may be declared include:
The declaration of a significant weather event is not a notice of reduced service levels or road closures. It is to notify the public that due to the forecasted or current weather conditions, extra caution is to be utilized while travelling along municipal roadways and sidewalks, and that it may take longer than usual to restore these surfaces to their repaired state. In the event that the municipality declares a significant weather event, the Municipality of Meaford will communicate pertinent details to the public by distributing a media release and posting on our website and social media pages. |
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Snow Clearing Tips |
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When clearing snow from your driveway, please remember to:
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Damage to Property |
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When preparing for the upcoming winter season residents should be making sure that their mailbox can withstand heavy snow thrown by passing plow trucks. Common maintenance repairs include replacing loose hinges on your mailbox, remounting a mailbox post that may have become loose or rotten as well as replacing and/or adding house numbers to assist mail carriers and emergency services. Repairing your mailbox and making sure the post is securely set in the ground will help withstand the force of the heavy snow coming off the snow plows. As you inspect your mailbox it is a good time to also install reflectors that make your mailbox and/or garbage bins easier to see during snow storms or during evening hours. Residents are responsible for keeping the area surrounding their mailboxes and/or garbage bins clear of snow so that they are visible to plow operators. If you are a seasonal resident, we ask that you keep your mailbox and garbage bins clear of snow or alternatively completely remove them from the roads edge if they are not being utilized over the winter months. Damage caused to mailboxes and garbage bins resulting from snow plowing operations will be evaluated on a case by case basis. Mailboxes and garbage bins that are damaged by direct physical contact with Municipal equipment will be repaired at the Municipality's expense, but only if they were properly located and installed, and only if the snow has been cleared from around them. Residents are responsible for repairs and/or replacements to their mailbox and/or garbage bins if they were damaged by the pressure of the plowed snow and there was no direct physical contact made with plow equipment, or if the snow was not removed from around the mailbox or garbage bin and it was not visible by plow operators. It is very uncommon that a mailbox or garbage bin is directly contacted with snow removal equipment. The average number of mailboxes that receive direct contact from snow removal equipment is less than one percent. If you believe a snow plow has damaged your mailbox, landscaping, or other property please submit a request to roads@meaford.ca with the following information:
Staff will review your request and provide a response. |
Provide Feedback
If you would like to provide feedback on your snow clearing service, please complete the Roads Inquiry Online Form.
Staff will review your submission and respond as soon as possible.
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