Prepared By: Derek Young
Policy Name: Snow Removal and Ice Control Policy
Effective Date: February 2, 2016
Policy Number:
Council Approval Date: February 2, 2016
Council Resolution No.: 16/01/16
Policy Statement:
1. The Town of Vermilion will manage snow removal and ice control operations on Town
roadways, lanes, sidewalks, and parking lots in the most efficient and economically visible
manner in accordance with the established service level priorities, relevant Town Bylaws, and
the Municipal Government Act. The premise of this policy will be based upon the economic,
financial, social, and political factors or constraints within the Town operations.
2. The purpose of this policy is to provide administration and staff guidelines for reducing or
eliminating snow and ice hazards and to minimize the inconvenience of winter conditions for
motorists and pedestrians, to the greatest degree possible, within available financial resources
of the Town services.
3. The Town Snow and Ice Control Policy describes snow removal priorities and the level of
service that will be provided by Town forces.
4. The Transportation & Utilities Department will maintain a list of all equipment available
from private sources. Private operators interested in performing work for the Town shall
register the type of equipment, rental rate, and terms upon which the equipment is available.
The Director of Transportation & Utilities, or his designate may bring in additional
equipment as required to meet the provisions of the policy, or to handle any extenuating
circumstances. Budgets will be adjusted either through internal reallocations, or through
reserve transfers. Reserve transfers will require Council approval.
5. The criteria for setting snow removal priorities will be based on the following:
a. Traffic volume
b. Road classification
c. Special conditions (Terrain, Emergency Services, Drifting, and Drainage)
d. Town equipment capabilities
6. A major storm will be defined as a snowfall of ten (10) cm or more, or the experiencing of
weather conditions which in the opinion of the Director of Transportation & Utilities, or his
designate constitute a major storm.
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7. Snow Removal priority #1A areas include:
a. 47th Avenue: 32nd Street to Beckie Scott Trail
b. Railway Avenue: 44th Street to 51st Street
c. 50th Avenue: 54th Street to Beckie Scott Trail
d. 44th Street: 47th Avenue to 54th Avenue
e. Riverhill (Pare’ Drive): 51st Avenue north across Vermilion River to north Town
limit
f. Airport runway and taxiway
g. Firehall driveway
h. Beckie Scott Trail: 47th Avenue to 53rd Avenue
Priority #1B areas include:
1. Downtown Commercial Core
2. Railway Avenue: 51st Street to 53rd Street
3. 50th Avenue: 52nd Street - 54th Street
4. Junction Sixteen/Highway 41 Commercial Subdivision
8. Priority #2 areas are designated collector Streets and school bus loading zones and include:
a. 50th Avenue: 44th Street to 49th Street
b. 52nd Avenue: 56th Street to Beckie Scott Trail; 44th Street – 46th Street
c. 56th Street: 50th Avenue to 52nd Avenue
d. 48th Street: 49th Avenue to 55th Avenue
e. 46th Street: Railway Avenue - 55th Avenue
f. 49th Avenue: 44th Street - 49th Street
g. 48A Avenue: 44th Street – 46th Street
9. Priority #3 areas are local residential roads. Included in this area would be the
Town/Library parking lot as well as the RCMP parking lots (east and west side). These areas
will be cleaned on a rotating basis throughout the winter so no one area consistently receives
a higher priority.
10. Priority #4 areas are all alleyways including sidewalks crossing all alleyways. If conditions
are such that some alleys are deemed impassable, equipment will be sent to clear only
identified alleys. The remainder will be cleaned after Priority #3 areas are completed and
only if the alleys are deemed to require cleaning, in the opinion of the Director of
Transportation & Utilities, or his designate.
11. The Transportation & Utilities Department will undertake roadway snow clearing operations
during normal work hours and workdays except when one of the following circumstances
occurs:
a. Wind and drifting creates problems for traffic movement; or
b. Roadways have not been cleared within the time periods established in this policy, at
which time clearing operations will begin immediately and then become continuous; or
c. If in the opinion of the Director of Transportation & Utilities, or his designate,
weather conditions during a storm are such that Priority #1A roadways become
troublesome for traffic, the necessary equipment will be mobilized until these
priority areas have been cleared.
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12. If snowfall accumulation exceeds 10 cm or the cessation of a major storm occurs outside
normal working hours, roadway snow removal operations will commence immediately or the
following day even if this occurs on a weekend or statutory holidays. Hours of operation will
occur between 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. unless authorized by the Director of Transportation &
Utilities or his designate. Snow removal operations will be continuous until Priorities #1A,
#1B, and #2 have been completed.
13. Unless there are unusual circumstances or additional interfering snowfalls, upon cessation of a
major storm, priority #1A roadways are to be cleared within forty-eight (48) hours, priority
#1B roadways within seventy-two (72) hours, priority #2 roadways cleaned within five (5)
days, and priority #3 roadways within twenty-one (21) days upon completion of Priority #2
areas.
14. When storms are continuous or follow closely one after the other, operations will be
repeated or continued on the highest priority until completed before moving on to the next
priority. Despite Sections 7 and 8 the Director of Transportation & Utilities, or his designate
may amend priorities and their completion in order to respond to specific conditions or
circumstances. These will always remain the “top” priorities, but the order in which they are
cleaned could change.
15. In order to ensure a reasonable level of safety to motorists and pedestrians, sanding
operations shall be initiated when the roadways have been deemed hazardous to public safety
as warranted by the Director of Transportation & Utilities or his designate. Sanding shall be
continued at his discretion until a reasonable level of ice control has been attained.
Sanding of Priority #1 areas may be completed not only during normal working hours but
also after hours, weekends, and holidays.
16. For the purposes of sidewalk clearing operations, sidewalks adjacent to Town owned
property and sidewalks identified on the Sidewalk Snow Removal Map shall be
cleaned. If in the opinion of the Director of Transportation & Utilities or his designate,
weather conditions are such that sidewalks make pedestrian movement difficult, the necessary
equipment will be mobilized to clean all sidewalks shown on the schedule below. Once the
first pass has been made cleaning will continue at the discretion of the Director of
Transportation & Utilities or his designate. Upon cessation of the storm sidewalks will still
be required to be cleaned within forty-eight (48) hours. If a “minor snowfall” occurs on a
weekend or statutory holiday only, the Highway 41 grade separation steps will be cleaned.
17. Pursuant to the Traffic Safety Bylaw #7-2014 all occupants shall remove snow and ice from
the sidewalks abutting and flanking their property and the Town shall clear snow and ice from
those sidewalks noted on the Sidewalk Snow Removal Map.
The purpose of this policy to:
Establish guidelines for snow removal and ice control by identifying priorities to ensure a fair and high level of
service.
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