Reminders for a safe winter season in Oshawa

With winter weather in full swing, the City of Oshawa encourages residents to do their part in keeping neighbourhoods safe and accessible.

On-street parking

On-street parking is not permitted on Oshawa streets from December 1 to April 1 between the hours of 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. Vehicles may be ticketed and/or towed during that time, regardless of snow clearing operations and weather conditions.

In addition to the 2 a.m. to 6 a.m. regulations, vehicles parked on Oshawa streets at any time while salting/snow clearing is underway may be ticketed and/or towed, regardless of the time of year.

Occasional Use Parking Permits (O.U.P.P.’s) are not valid during salting/snow clearing operations, and all O.U.P.P.’s previously arranged are suspended during salting/snow clearing operations.

Clear your sidewalk and walkway

Help keep sidewalks safe by removing snow and ice. Residents and businesses are required to clear the way around their property including:

• ensuring snow and ice are removed from sidewalks adjacent to your property by midnight of the first day after precipitation has ended
• continuing to completely remove snow and ice from sidewalks throughout a snow, sleet or freezing rain event. If the sidewalk is not entirely cleared of snow and ice, the property owner may receive escalating penalties of $75 to $275 per day of violation and invoiced costs associated with snow and ice removal.
• removing ridges of snow from any public sidewalk that touches your property where the sidewalk intersects or immediately borders a road
• not pushing or blowing snow from your property back onto the street. This is in violation of the Winter Access By-law, and it creates unsafe conditions.
• where possible, piling snow on the right side of the driveway (facing the street) to prevent cleared snow from moving back onto the driveway by the snow plow.
• reducing the height of the snow bank at the end of your property by shoveling snow back further onto your property – this improves visibility when entering or exiting your driveway
• watching for opportunities to assist your neighbours who may need help

Winter reminders from Fire Services

Oshawa Fire Services reminds residents, businesses and landlords to ensure that fire hydrants and entrances are accessible for firefighters in case of an emergency.

• If there is a fire hydrant in front of your home or business, remove accumulations of snow and ice around the fire hydrant.
• Remove snow accumulations around exit doors, stairways, and fire escapes so that occupants have safe ways out in an emergency.

Placement of garbage, green bins and recycling

Snowbanks, icy conditions and winter weather can make it difficult for waste collection operators to see and safely reach your garbage, green bin and recycling. Keep these reminders in mind when placing waste at the curb:

• choose and maintain a collection area that is visible and at ground level
• keep a path from the road to your collectibles clear of snow and ice

Learn more about snow clearing responsibilities at oshawa.ca/Snow.