What is windrow clearing?

The City of Vaughan provides windrow-clearing service for all residential driveways.

Windrow machines are designed to clear about 80 per cent of snow left by plows at the end of the driveway within four hours after the plow has passed. Due to the limited size and reach of the windrow clearing units, they can only clear a portion of the driveway entrance. The service does not clear windrows left by sidewalk plows, hardened snow, ice or the entire driveway.

How you can help

The community has a role to play. Residents must remove anything that may interfere with or be hazardous to plow crews. This includes landscaping features like fencing, hedges, basketball nets, decorative stones, pots, bird baths, etc. Read more about this by-law.

Residents are responsible for clearing snow that may fall back onto the driveway after the windrow machine has passed.

Learn more about all the ways you can do your part during the winter season.

Our goals for snow clearing

Our goal is to have all roads cleared within 16 hours after snowfall has ended and to have windrows cleared within four hours after snowplows have passed.

Please keep in mind that these services may be impacted by a number of factors, including heavy snowfall, cars parked on streets — which make it difficult for snowplows to clear the roads — and cars parked on driveways that are too close to or hanging over the curb.