Snow Clearing Help

The City of Oshawa provides snow clearing assistance to community members 65 years of age or older and people with disabilities who have no community members without disabilities under the age of 65 living in the household.

The Snow Clearing Assistance Program provides registered community members with assistance in clearing City sidewalks and driveway windrows. The windrow is the pile of snow at the bottom of the driveway after a snowplow clears the street.

About

• The program provides community members with assistance in clearing City sidewalks and driveway windrows.
• The program does NOT assist in clearing City sidewalks and driveway windrows of vacant properties or vacant land
• Due to the nature of winter operations, the City cannot guarantee specific schedules for snow clearing.
• Service will begin following a snowfall of more than 2.5 cm (about 1 in) and is planned to be completed by midnight the day after the snowfall ends.
• If you frequently need to leave your home to attend appointments, we urge you to make alternate arrangements to have your sidewalk and/or driveway windrow cleared and not rely solely on the City Snow Clearing Assistance Program.

Enrollment requirements

• Community members must live in the single family dwelling associated with the application.
• There must be no community members without disabilities under the age of 65 living at the residence.
• Community members must be 65 years of age (or older) or have a disability - proof of eligibility must accompany each application.
• Proof of disability may be:
  • Access 2 Entertainment card
  • Accessible Parking Permit issued by the Ontario Ministry of Transportation (M.T.O.)
  • Canada Pension Plan (C.P.P.) Disability benefit card
  • Canadian National Institute for the Blind (C.N.I.B.) client card
  • Disability travel card
  • Doctor's note or signature on application
  • Ontario Disability Support Program (O.D.S.P.) receipt

Forms

• Online application
• Printable application

Sidewalks

• The program provides for clearing and salting of City sidewalks only
• The program does NOT provide for clearing of private property walkways leading to City sidewalks

Driveway Windrows

• The windrow is the pile of snow at the bottom of the driveway after a snowplow clears the street.
• Windrow service does NOT provide clearing other parts of the driveway - just the windrow.
• The clearing of windrows will only be done if the windrow is a least 20 cm (8 in) high.

Instructions

• The house number must be well lit and visible from the roadway (as per the Building Numbering By-law) as this is a 24 hour operation, and much of the work is performed after dark.
• Ensure the sidewalks are kept clear of parked vehicles, garbage and recycling bins.
• The Boulevard By-law (hedge, shrub, tree, plant, post, fence, curbing, wall, or other) shall not be located within 0.6 m (2 ft) of either side of the sidewalk or within 1.2 m (4 ft) of the roadside curb. If your property violates this section of the By-law, please be aware that should damage occur to items found within these guideline distances, the onus for repairs will be on the property owner, not the City of Oshawa.
• If minor sod damage occurs, the City will inspect and repair any damage in the spring. Please contact Service Oshawa.  To allow the City to operate efficiently, please advise Service Oshawa, if your location was missed only if not done by midnight the day after the snowfall ends.
• Snow Clearing Activity Reports are made available during the winter months. These reports are issued three times a day during a winter snow storm

Renewals

Community members who received snow clearing assistance last year will receive a renewal letter in November.