Winter storm update: Thursday, Jan. 15 at 1 p.m.
Community centres and libraries open, waste collection delayed, plowing and windrow clearing underway in residential areas
As the snow continues to fly in Vaughan, here is everything you need to know about City programs, services and facilities as of 1 p.m.:
Vaughan City Hall and Community Centres remain open with regular hours of operation. Programs are running as scheduled at this time.
All Vaughan Public Libraries locations are open.
Plowing and salting at City facilities continue with a focus on main entrances and emergency routes.
Waste collection is experiencing significant delays. It is likely collectors will not get to all homes today. Please leave materials curbside until they are collected. Be sure to dig out your bins and do not put them on top of snowbanks.
Road plowing is complete on main roads and crews are now clearing residential roads.
Windrow clearing operations are underway but slower than usual due to snow volumes. Thank you for your patience as crews make their way to your home.
Sidewalk plowing and salting operations continue with a focus on sidewalks on major roads.
Service Vaughan is experiencing steady call volumes. Wait times are approximately one minute at this time but we anticipate they may get longer throughout the day. To submit service requests online, visit vaughan.ca/ServiceVaughan.
Your role in winter maintenance:
Managing snow in Vaughan is a community effort. Here are some tips on how you can help the City’s winter operations run as smoothly and safely as possible.
Keep parked cars off the street while snowplows are out to assist the City in ensuring streets are cleared properly and safely. On-street parking is not permitted at any time when snowplows are clearing the streets, or between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. in Vaughan without a permit. Crews cannot effectively clear roads and laneways with cars parked along them. As outlined in the City’s Parking By-law 064-2019 (PDF), on-street parking that interferes with snow-clearing operations is prohibited. Vehicles found in violation may be subject to a $75 fine or towed at the owner’s expense.
Clear snow and ice from sidewalks bordering your property as soon as a snowfall has ended to help ensure roads and sidewalks remain safe, as stated in the City’s Snow-Clearing By-law 227-2022 (PDF).
Remove anything that may interfere with or be hazardous to plow crews. This includes landscaping features, such as fencing, basketball nets, decorative stones, pots, bird baths, furniture and more, as stated in the City’s Road Allowance By-law 126-2024 (PDF). These items should be within 30 centimetres of a sidewalk or within one metre of a street curb.
Be mindful of where snow is placed. It is illegal to shovel snow or ice onto the road under the Ontario Highway Traffic Act and the City’s Dumping By-law 103-2020 (PDF). If you have hired a contractor to plow your laneway or sidewalk, ensure they are licensed with the City and they do not leave snow on the road from their removal.
Stay off the roads during a heavy snowstorm unless travel is essential. You can also use York Region Transit to get around the city during inclement weather.
Clean snow off all surfaces of your vehicle before driving and keep a safe distance away from snowplows and salting equipment.
Set waste bins back from the curb approximately one metre on the right-hand side of the driveway, where possible (when facing the home). Doing this will reduce the risk of bins and bags getting covered in snow during the City’s snow-clearing process. Waste bins or bags buried in snow, frozen to the ground, on top of or behind snowbanks will not be collected. Crews cannot return for materials that are not accessible for collection.
Keep fire hydrants clear and accessible (one metre all around). Blocked, concealed or difficult-to-access fire hydrants can slow down emergency fire response. As outlined in the City’s Water By-law 024-2024 (PDF), residents who have a fire hydrant on their property or City property adjacent to theirs are responsible for ensuring the hydrant is always visible and unobstructed.
Help keep catch basins clear of snow and ice to prevent flooding during temperature fluctuations, if it’s safe to do so.
To report non-emergency winter maintenance service requests, visit Service Vaughan.
Stay informed
For additional details and to receive the latest information on Vaughan’s winter operations:
visit vaughan.ca/snow
create a profile on vaughan.ca and sign up for the “Snow Information Alert” to receive snow alerts directly in your inbox. Visit vaughan.ca/support for a step-by-step guide.
contact the SNOW Hotline at 905-879-SNOW (7669) or email snow@vaughan.ca
follow the City’s official corporate channels on X, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn subscribe to Vaughan News
contact Service Vaughan at 905-832-2281 or service@vaughan.ca
