Here we are again: It’s November in Ontario. The first real snowfall hits, the kids are ecstatic, and half the province suddenly must remember where they stored their shovels last March.

It’s also the time of year when police services and municipalities start posting their annual friendly reminder: it’s illegal to shovel, blow, or plow snow from your driveway or sidewalk onto the road (CTV London).

Yes, really! It’s in the Highway Traffic Act (s. 181) and most municipal by-laws, and the fine can be $105–$500 depending on where you are (plus victim surcharges). Police and by-law officers do hand out tickets when they see it happening, especially after complaints or accidents.

Why it’s a Big Deal

• That innocent-looking pile can turn into black ice almost instantly once tires pack it down
• It forces city plows to come back and clean the same stretch of road again (your tax dollars at work… twice!)
• High snow piles along curbs and around corners reduce visibility at intersections and driveways
• Emergency vehicles can’t get through quickly if the road is narrowed by illegal piles

How you Should Shovel Snow

1. Pile snow on your own property
   Push it to the backyard, the side yard, or the area between the sidewalk and the road (the “boulevard” in city-speak), as long as you’re not blocking the sidewalk itself.
2. Be a good neighbour
   Never shove snow onto someone else’s driveway or lawn unless you’ve asked and they’re cool with it. (Pro Tip: the neighbour who owns a snowblower usually loves being asked for help).
3. Keep fire hydrants clear
   Adopt the hydrant in front of your house. Dig a one metre radius around it and a clear path from the street. Firefighters will love you.
4. Don’t block the curb for garbage/recycling
   Leave at least a metre of clear curb in front of your bins, or the collector might skip you (and you’ll be stuck with two weeks of trash).
5. Clear the sidewalk in front of (and beside) your house
   Most Ontario municipalities require you to clear the public sidewalk within 24 hours after snowfall ends. Fines start around $100–$350 if you don’t.

Extra Tips for Ontarians as Winter Weather Arrives

• Shovel in layers during big storms. A quick 5 cm pass every couple of hours is way easier than tackling 25 cm of wet, heavy snow at midnight.
• Use the “down-wind” strategy. Figure out which way the wind usually blows on your street and pile snow on the leeward (downwind) side of your driveway. The next storm is less likely to drift it shut again.
• Mark your driveway edges in the fall with reflective stakes. In February when the snowbanks are two metres high, you’ll thank yourself when you’re plowing or shovelling at 6 a.m.
• Clear a “mailbox pocket”. Canada Post won’t deliver if the carrier can’t safely reach your mailbox without climbing a snowbank.
• Roof raking (when needed). If you get more than 50–60 cm on the roof, consider raking the lower 1–1.5 metres to prevent ice dams. Do it from the ground with a roof rake and never climb a snowy/icy roof.
• Windshield wiper trick. Lift your wipers off the windshield the night before a storm. No more chiselling ice off frozen blades in the morning.
• If you hire a snow removal company, make sure their contract specifically says they will not push snow into the road. Some fly-by-night operators will, and you get the ticket because it’s your property.

Salt/smart ice melt tips

• Apply it before the storm if you can — prevention beats cure
• Magnesium chloride or calcium chloride work down to -20 °C or lower whereas regular rock salt (sodium chloride) stops working around -12 °C
• A little goes a long way: one coffee mug of salt covers about 10 square metres of sidewalk
• Pet-safe and eco-friendlier options (marked “pet safe” or with CMA) exist if you have dogs or nearby creeks

Stay warm, stay legal, and maybe bribe the neighbour with the snowblower with some hot chocolate or home baking. We know, winter’s long and we all need friends with heavy equipment. We’ll see you on the other side of spring (possibly sometime in April).

. . .
Staebler Insurance is a general insurance broker specializing in car insurance, home insurance, small business insurance, and commercial insurance. Staebler Insurance Brokers proudly serve Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge, Guelph, Stratford, Listowel, Fergus, Elora, Wellington County, Perth County, Waterloo Region, the Greater Toronto Area, Golden Horseshoe, Niagara Region, and all over beautiful Ontario, Canada. Get a Quote to get started today.