Snow Removal Process

Before a Winter Event

Staff constantly track weather patterns to determine a winter storms potential impact on the city.

In some instances, crews apply a layer of brine to main roads in the city prior to an anticipated storm event. The brine causes the snow and ice to melt and prevents them from bonding to the road surface, which makes snow plowing more effective.

This activity may take place days or several hours before the start of the event, depending on weather conditions.

Road Types

Main Roads

Main Roads carry large volumes of traffic, including: bus routes; school areas; emergency, fire and hospital routes; and critical areas on hills, curves and bridges. These roads are maintained to a bare pavement condition and are our first priority. All main roads are cleared to bare pavement before snow removal begins on other roads.

Designated Secondary Roads

Designated secondary roads are connecting roads of a higher priority and include less severe hills and curves. These roads are maintained to a centre bare pavement condition and are our second priority after main roads are passable.

Residential Roads

Residential roads include all other streets within St. Catharines. These roads are not maintained to a bare pavement condition. They are plowed and sanded as necessary to provide safe travel. They are only serviced after the main roads and designated secondary roads have been cleared to an acceptable level.

During a Winter Event

The following steps outline how we keep roads clean and passable during snow and ice events. Steps are subject to change based on weather and staffing conditions, and should be considered only as a guide.

1. Salting trucks are dispatched to main roads when it starts to snow. Once the salt begins to work trucks will begin plowing the main roads as required. All main roads are cleared to bare pavement before snow removal begins on other roads. For example, if Bunting Road has been plowed, but continued snowfall has again covered the road, the truck will plow the road again before moving on to non-main roads.
2. Designated secondary roads will be salted and plowed only after all main roads are cleared to an acceptable level. These roads are maintained to a centre bare pavement condition.
3. Once designated secondary roads have been plowed, crews will begin sanding and plowing residential roads. If the snow on residential roads is too heavily packed from traffic, plowing becomes ineffective. The best option at that point is to apply sand to provide traction for traffic.

Our first priority is keeping main roads clear. During severe and continuous snowfalls it may take longer to complete snow plowing on residential roads. Please wait 24 hours after the snow has stopped falling before calling to let us know if your street has not been plowed.

Equipment with flashing blue lights are either spraying brine, salting, sanding or plowing, please remain a safe distance back. Please note that winter control equipment must travel at reduced speeds to ensure proper plowing or brine/salt/sand application.

Salting and Sanding

Salt is applied along the main routes and designated secondary routes early in a storm event in order to prevent snow from adhering to the pavement. This allows the plow to clear the streets more effectively.

Salting may be repeated, as necessary, until a bare pavement condition is achieved. Critical areas, such as steep hills, curves, bridges, intersections and approaches to railway crossings receive top priority.

Salt Management Plan

The City has developed a Salt Management Plan with the goal of minimizing the use of salt on City streets due to its detrimental effect on our environment. To this end, salt is only applied to the main routes and designated secondary routes. It is not normally used on secondary streets. Instead, sand is used on secondary streets and in agricultural areas to provide traction and reduce slippery conditions.

In addition, salt is not used on any roads when temperatures become so low that it can no longer effectively melt ice.

A Salt Management Plan was approved by council in 2008.

View the Staff Report to Council Regarding the Salt Management Plan.

Other Considerations

The Ministry of Transportation is responsible for snow removal on all 400 series highways and the QEW. Our crews do not plow highways and on/off ramps. To access highway winter road conditions or report dangerous conditions contact the Provincial Call Centre at 1-800-268-4686.

Parks and trails

City parks and trails are closed in the winter. Therefore, our crews do not provide snow removal service inside parks and trails, or parking lots connected to parks and trails.

Canada Post Superboxes

Canada Post is responsible for clearing snow away from the base around superboxes.

Bus Routes

Roads that service transit are classified as main roads.

Bus shelters

St. Catharines Transit is responsible for clearing snow from around bus shelters.

School crossings
The City provides salt boxes at school crossings. Crossing guards will spread salt at these areas as required.