On a storm day in Kitchener-Waterloo, three clocks start at once. The city’s plows run one. The 24-hour sidewalk rule runs another. Your snow contractor’s route runs the third. They don’t run in step, and that explains most of what happens to a driveway between the first flake and the next morning, including the ridge of snow that shows up at 3 p.m.
Here is the day in order, using the cities’ own published numbers.
The night before: the snow event
Both cities clear cars off the street for big snowfalls, and the call can come before the snow does.
- Kitchener declares a snow event “when there is snowfall of 8 cm or more happening or in the forecast.” During one, “you cannot park on city streets and we may tag and tow your car,” and the ticket is $80. The city announces it on social media, by email to subscribers, through local media and on its Getting Around map. It’s all on the city’s snow removal page.
- Waterloo declares a snow event “when heavy snow or ice is expected.” Its snow event page says you can’t park on city streets, overnight exemptions don’t apply, and cars left on the road may be ticketed or towed. Most snow events last about 24 hours.
Our winter terms ask you to keep vehicles off the driveway so it can be cleared edge to edge. On a snow event day the street is off limits too. If your household has more cars than spaces, plan where the extra car goes in November, not at midnight in a storm.
While it’s snowing: main roads first
Neither city starts with your street.
Kitchener plows in three priorities: main and arterial roads and the bus routes on them first, then steep hills, sharp curves and the bus routes on those, then the rest of the backstreets. In the city’s words, “It takes between 16 and 24 hours to plow all routes after the snow has stopped falling.”
Waterloo publishes targets by road type on its how we clear snow page. A major road like King Street is 6 hours after 5 cm. A residential street like Northlake Drive is 16 hours after 8 cm. A court like Beckwith Court is 24 hours after 10 cm. All routes take 6 to 24 hours after the snow or ice stops.
So on a residential street, the plow can come many hours after the snow stops.
When it stops: our clock starts
We don’t clear during a snowfall unless the storm is a big one. Clearing halfway through means clearing again two hours later, and the second visit is the one that counts. So the trigger is 5 cm or more on the ground, and the clock starts when the snow stops.
From there, how fast depends on your plan:
| Plan | Usually cleared within |
|---|---|
| Winter Standard | 12 hours of the snow stopping |
| Winter Complete | 8 hours |
| Winter Priority | 3 hours, first on the route |
If a storm runs all night and stops at 9 a.m., the clock starts at 9 a.m. In a big storm we may clear more than once. What we don’t promise is a time of day, because the route runs in order. A storm that stacks on another storm can push the route, and our weather terms are on the policies page. What the trigger means on a 3 cm day is in what a 5 cm trigger means.
The sidewalk clock: 24 hours in both cities
The sidewalk rule doesn’t wait for the city plow.
- Kitchener: owners “must clear the sidewalks around their property of both snow and ice within 24 hours of a snowfall,” to bare pavement.
- Waterloo: sidewalks must be clear “within 24 hours after a snowfall or ice build-up.”
Every visit we make includes the city sidewalk in front of your home, so it’s done inside our window, well within the city’s 24 hours. The rules for each city are in Kitchener’s 24-hour sidewalk rule and Waterloo’s snow rules.
Afternoon: the plow passes, and the windrow arrives
Residential streets come last in both cities, so on a lot of streets the plow goes by after your driveway is already done. It leaves a windrow, the ridge of packed snow across the end of the driveway. Kitchener is honest about it on its snow removal questions page: “There is no way to avoid pushing snow into driveway entrances during plowing operations.” Kitchener and Waterloo both leave windrows to the owner.
If the plow has been by before we arrive, the windrow goes with the rest of the driveway. If it comes after we leave, a Winter plan covers the return clearing, because the plan is unlimited. On per visit, a return clearing is another visit.
Five things that make storm day go better
- Move cars off the street before a snow event starts.
- Keep bins on your property, not on the road. Kitchener asks for exactly that on collection day.
- Don’t push snow onto the road. Both cities ask you not to, and Waterloo’s bylaw bans it. More on where the snow can go in where to put the snow.
- Dig out the hydrant and the gas meter if they’re buried. Kitchener’s snow removal questions page asks residents to.
- Check the map, not the window. During a snow event, Kitchener’s Getting Around map shows which roads were serviced recently, and Waterloo’s snow plow map shows when each road was last cleared.
Storm day questions
My street still hasn’t been plowed. Who do I tell?
In Waterloo, if more than 24 hours have passed since the snow stopped, the city’s plowing page takes reports. In Kitchener, the snow plow priorities map shows which priority your street is, which tells you roughly where it sits in the order.
Will you come while it’s still snowing?
Usually not. We wait for the snow to stop so the clearing lasts. In a big storm we may clear more than once.
Do I need to call you when it snows?
No. Once you’re on the route, 5 cm on the ground puts you on the list. You don’t need to call or be home.
Should I salt before the storm?
Salt is for ice, not snow. The Region of Waterloo’s snow clearing tips say to shovel as soon as you can, before the snow packs into ice, and to salt icy areas only. The salt choices are in pet-safe, treated or rock salt.
Get on the route before the first storm
What every visit includes is on the snow removal page, with city detail for Kitchener and Waterloo. Pick your driveway size and plan on winter plans, or call or text 226-336-2077.
