Each year at the end of the summer, the Public Works Department prepares its overall snow removal strategy. This planning is essential to ensure quality service for residents.
In the fall of 2019, the City met with private snow removal contractors to present the tools available for effective coordination of snow removal operations. Since winter 2019-2020, the City is now emailing contractors authorized to perform snow removal to announce the start time of snow removal operations throughout the City.
Sectors
The City is divided into thirteen (13) snow removal sectors where main and secondary arteries and collector streets have priority over residential streets. Eight (8) of these sectors are maintained by City employees, and the remaining five (5) are cleared by contractors.
PRIORITY P1
Principal roads (Des Sources, St-Jean, Salaberry, Brunswick and Sunnybrooke boulevards)
PRIORITY P2
Secondary roads and collector streets
PRIORITY P3
Residential streets
Snow removal operations provided by the city
Snow clearing
- For less than 2,5 cm of snow accumulation, boulevards, main arteries and sidewalks are cleared and road salt is applied.
- For more than 2,5 cm of snow accumulation, all streets are cleared. Priority is given to boulevards, main arteries and sidewalks.
- The interval for a complete snow clearance pass is approximately four hours. Snow removal will continue until the storm ends.
In order to facilitate the removal of snow, the City is authorized to order the installation of signs prohibiting the parking of any vehicle until operations have ended.
During snow removal operations, a duly authorized municipal employee is empowered to have a motor vehicle towed and, in certain cases, to divert traffic.
Loading – Snow blowing
- Following a snowfall of more than 10 cm, snow accumulated in the right lane of boulevards is carried away by a contractor within 48 to 72 hours.
- Simultaneously, snow pushed to the edge of sidewalks by a snowplough is blown onto the public right-of-way and, if necessary, in front of a circular driveway that is not facing a garage or main entrance.
- Sides opposite the sidewalks are then cleared, and secondary streets are widened by snow blowers, as necessary.
Salt and abrasives application
- Road salt is used to melt ice on boulevards and main arteries. An abrasive consisting of 5 mm “pea” stone is used on secondary streets. Road salt is also spread at stop signs and curves on residential streets.
- As soon as the weather warms up, salt is spread on secondary streets to avoid ice accumulation. If there is already a certain amount of ice build-up, however, appropriate equipment is used to scrape the streets instead of applying salt, which can make the road surface bumpy and less safe.
Snow removal contractors
Definition: Any person who carries out, by means of a motorized vehicle, clearing and snow removal for the owner, occupant or person in charge of a private property of a residential, commercial, industrial or institutional nature.
- Any snow removal contractor must, before carrying out work within the territory of the City, first obtain a permit from the Urban Planning and Engineering Department of the City upon payment of $55 for each motor vehicle to be used. The said permit is valid from November 1 to October 31 and is non transferable.
- The snow removal contractor must complete a request containing the following information:
- The surname, given name, address and telephone number of the owner of any motor vehicle to be used by the snow removal contractor in the territory of the City
- The trademark, model, year, serial number and copy of the registration certificate for any motor vehicle to be used by the snow removal contractor in the territory of the City
- A copy of the declaration of registration in the register of sole proprietorships, partnerships and legal persons of the snow removal contractor
- If the snow removal contractor is a legal person, the address of its head office and a copy of the incorporation documents of the said legal person
- Any snow removal contractor must place posts on each side of a location where snow removal is to be carried out. These posts must indicate, in a clear and legible manner, the City permit number or the name and telephone number of the snow removal contractor and must be visible at all times.
By-laws
This information sheet has no legal authority. The official texts from the by-laws take precedence.
