Ontario residents spent most of the weekend digging out their buried cars and shoveling their driveways and sidewalks after a winter storm dumped up to 30 centimeters of snow on the province.
The storm caused power outages, as well as a rare phenomenon called ‘thundersnow’, and lasted for about 16 hours.
On Saturday, Toronto city officials said they are announcing “Major Snow Position” In an effort to help clear snow from roads and sidewalks.
Here’s what you need to know:
When are major snow conditions declared?
A major snow situation is declared when at least five centimeters of snow has fallen, when snow removal operations are required, and when traffic or parking may hinder snow clearing.
What does it mean?
That means the city will restrict parking on “designated snow routes” to allow crews to collect snow and take it to one of the city’s four dump sites. Drivers are being asked to move their cars and avoid parking in those areas.
What is a designated snow route?
The city has identified approximately 150 sections of road that will serve as “designated snow routes”. They are primarily located in the downtown core and include all streetcar routes.
Map of downtown Toronto showing the position of major storms, designated snow routes.
The city has said all routes will be clearly marked with an orange sign. A complete list can be found at City website.
What if I don’t bring my car?
According to a news release issued by Toronto Police, vehicles still parked on these routes may be towed. Drivers can also be fined up to $200.
Police say vehicles impounded one on one can be found quite their tow companies.
How long will it last?
According to municipal code, Major snow conditions are in effect for 72 hours. The city could end it earlier, but officials said it was likely to be extended on Saturday.
Has this happened before?
Yes. In January 2022, after a blizzard dropped nearly 50 centimeters of snow on the city, officials declared a major snowstorm. Nearly 180,000 tonnes of snow has been removed from Toronto’s streets, sidewalks and bicycle paths.
the cost of removing that snow was about $17 million, According to the operational report after the city. This represents about 20 per cent of Toronto’s winter maintenance budget.
In November, the city revealed a $109 million winter weather plan, which included proactive salting and new snow response technology. It’s unclear how much this particular snow removal will cost.
Is more snow expected in Toronto?
No snow is being predicted for this week by Environment Canada, although there is a 30 per cent chance of storms each day through Tuesday night.