Snow removal

View our Plow Tracker to see where road and sidewalk plows have been

View Plow Tracker

How and when to report a problem spot

Typically, it takes 24 hours for us to finish our scheduled routes during a significant weather event. Please wait 24 hours after the snow stops to report a problem spot on roads, sidewalks or trails.

Use the report a problem map to report a problem spot or accessibility concern, or:

• Report a road issue or accessibility concern
• Report a sidewalk issue or accessibility concern
• Report a trail issue
• Email [email protected]
• Phone 519-837-5628
• TTY 519-826-9771

To report a snow removal issue at a City facility, including public stairs and park parking lots (Riverside Park, Exhibition Park, etc.), contact [email protected] or 519-837-5626 .

Report an issue with provincial or county roads

• Hanlon Parkway / Highway 6 North: For concerns with road conditions on the Hanlon Parkway/Highway 6 North, please call MTO INFO at 416-235-4686 or toll free at toll-free at 1-800-268-4686. (TTY: 905-704-2426 or 1-866-471-8929).
• Wellington County: For concerns with road conditions on roads in Wellington County and outside of the city of Guelph boundaries please contact the Wellington County Roads Division at 519-837-2601 or 1-800-663-0750.

Sign up for residential plow out and significant weather alerts

In previous years we’ve used an email subscription service to advise of residential plow outs and significant weather events. Due to the success of this program, we’ve reached our capacity of subscribers under this service. As a result, we’ve moved these alerts to our Voyent Alert! system that we’ve been using to send out emergency alerts, also known as Alert Guelph. The system will now alert residents of local emergencies, residential plows and significant weather events. All current subscribers will be notified, in addition to those already using Voyent Alert! for emergency reporting.

Subscribers can register themselves on the Voyent Alert! (Alert Guelph) system, downloading the app is not required. You may choose to receive alerts by the app, text message, email message or by telephone voice message. New users can register and find more information online, including a list of frequently asked questions.

Thank a plow driver

Tell us about a positive experience with our superheroes of winter – whether it’s roads, bike lanes, sidewalks or trails. Help us thank a plow driver!Thank a plow driver

Please help clear sidewalks, storm drains, fire hydrants, and a spot for waste collection

• If you’re able, please help clear sidewalks near your property
• Keep fire hydrants and storm drains clear of snow
• Shovel a spot for your waste carts, or place them in the driveway one foot from the curb
• Move parked cars off the streets to make room for snowplows and emergency vehicles
• Clear storm drains without a shovel (video)

Parking in winter

Following an extreme snowfall, we call a plow out to remove snow from all streets. To help us clear City streets quickly and safely, please avoid parking on the street for at least 48 hours after a snowfall. This allows our plows to widen streets as much as possible and better accommodate driving and parking during the winter.

Each winter, Guelph restricts on-street parking to allow for the safe operation of snow removal, Guelph Transit and emergency vehicles.

Starting on December 1 at 2 a.m. until April 1 at 2 a.m. on-street parking is not permitted between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. unless otherwise posted.

How the City prioritizes snow removal

Roads

The City clears main arterial roads first. Plows may make multiple passes before moving to collector roads and local residential roads.

• Primary roads: Plowed after 2.5 centimetres of snowfall. Completed 12 to 16 hours after the end of a snow storm.
• Secondary roads: Plowed after 2.5 centimetres of snowfall. Completed 24 hours after the end of a snow storm.
• Residential roads: Plowed after 8 centimetres of snowfall. Completed 24 hours after the end of a snow storm.

Sidewalks

We clear snow from 701 kilometres of sidewalk, 180 crosswalks, crossings, steps, walkways, and 590 bus stops throughout the city. Sidewalks are prioritized based on pedestrian traffic volume near high use facilities, such as schools, hospitals, and public buildings.

There are eleven zones for snow plowing and sanding, including multi-use pathways, which are prioritized into two classifications:

• High priority sidewalks: serviced after 4 centimetres of snow accumulates.
• Residential sidewalks: serviced after 8 centimetres of snow accumulates.

Trails

Unlike sidewalks, we’re not required to clear our recreational trails. We do it because our community benefits from it. We maintain 25 kilometres of recreational trails in winter after 5 centimetres of snowfall.