Roads

The town is located in one of the main snowbelt regions of the province. Cold northwest winds blow over the warmer waters of Georgian Bay and Lake Huron picking up moisture and then depositing the moisture in the form of snow on the land. Wasaga Beach, Collingwood and other parts of North Simcoe and Grey County receive large amounts of snow due to this lake effect.  Areas south of Highway 89 generally do not receive the same amount of snow as in the snowbelt regions.

The town’s winter maintenance is completed in accordance with its Winter Control Policy and the Provincial Maintenance Standards (O.Reg. 239/02).  The town has designated 11 plowing routes and each route takes approximately six to eight hours to complete, depending on weather, traffic, available staff and equipment, and the number of vehicles parked on the street.

The following is the general priority for snow plowing and sanding/salting within the designated plow routes:

Priority 1

• Arterial and Major Collector Roads and Bridges (example: River Road West)
• Designated transit routes

Priority 2

• Collector Roads (example: Ramblewood Drive)
• Municipal Offices and Facilities and municipal parking lots

Priority 3

• Local Roads, Side Streets and cul-de-sacs

It’s the objective of the town to clear sidewalks as soon as possible after a storm has ended, and normally within 24 hours from the end of the storm event.

Sidewalks are classified in accordance with the associated pedestrian traffic and proximity to high-volume roadways, in addition to the ease with which they can be cleared. The town has three sidewalk classifications, and they are as follows:

• Class 1 – Sidewalks adjacent to high-volume roadways with high pedestrian volumes, including school zones.
• Class 2 – Balance of sidewalks that can be cleared with mechanized plow and/or blower equipment.
• Class 3 – Sidewalks that require a snow blower or hand shoveling to clear.
• Class 4 – Sidewalks that will not be cleared due to destination.

Class 2 sidewalks consist of the majority of the town sidewalks that can be cleared with mechanized plow equipment and are not adjacent to high-volume roadways and/or have high pedestrian volumes.

Sidewalk operations will begin with snow clearing on Class 1 sidewalks. As staffing availability and weather conditions allow, Class 2 sidewalk operations will follow, and typically will continue on a regular shift basis, until complete.

Class 3 sidewalks will be the last to be addressed.

Typically, during a winter storm, roadways will be maintained with available staff, until such time as road and weather conditions allow for staff to be diverted to sidewalk operations. When staffing levels permit, Priority 1 sidewalks will be plowed at the same time as roads.

Both salt sweetened sand and pre-treated salt is applied to municipal roadways depending on their classification.  Sanding preparation begins with the placement of approximately 4,500 tonnes of Ministry of Transportation specified winter sand in the storage facility at the Public Works Yard. The sand is mixed with roughly seven (7) percent salt to maintain the workability of the winter sand mix and to improve de-icing capabilities.  Normally, salt should never be applied when the temperature is below -12C; however, in the presence of sun and heavy traffic volume, which creates higher road surface temperature, salt can sometimes be effectively applied to a temperature of -18C. 

Salt is delivered regularly as required throughout the winter and is also stored at the Public Works Yard.

The minimum standard for the prevention of ice formation on roadways is doing the following in the 24-hour period preceding an anticipated formation of ice on a roadway:

1. Monitor the weather
2. Patrol roadways
3. If it is determined that there is a substantial probability of ice forming on a roadway, as a result from the activities noted, the roadway will be treated to prevent ice formation.

Treating a roadway means applying material to the roadway, including but not limited to, salt, sand, or any combination of salt and sand.

The objective of sanding is to increase vehicular traction by applying sand/salt mixture either during or after the storm.

Sand is also used on designated roadways as the temperature drops below the levels of effectiveness for salt. However, when the temperatures do drop below these levels, the streets are sanded in the same manner as they would have been salted.

Complete sanding on all streets is only carried out to address slippery conditions, freezing rain, or general icy conditions, at the discretion of supervisory staff.

It is not the objective to provide bare pavement conditions on all roads. Straight salt is applied to arterial roads only to achieve bare pavement.

Peeling will be initiated when severe rutting has formed along the hard-packed snow surface. Rutting is defined as troughs in compacted snow and ice which makes maneuvering a vehicle dangerous. Ruts will usually be a minimum of 10 centimeters in depth before this condition warrants peeling.

Peeling operations consist of equipment that has the capability of applying a downwards force to remove the hard-packed snow (i.e. grader blade, loader bucket). Please note that standard snowplow trucks do not have the capability of applying a downward force. The blade and wing attached to standard snow plow equipment simply ride along the surface and rely on a combination of speed, blade/wing geometrics and gravity to displace the snow to the edge of the roadway.

Following the peeling operation, Public Works staff will remove the windrow of peeled hard-pack (and/or ice chunks) from the entrance to driveways (up to the property line), at the discretion of supervisory staff.

The clearing of snow around fire hydrants begins after the plowing of streets and sidewalks is completed, and as resources permit. Fire hydrants will not necessarily be cleaned of snow after each snowstorm. Fire hydrants will be cleared to provide adequate access to all ports when snow on the boulevard accumulates to a height that may interfere with accessibility to the fire hydrant. The objective is to clear the snow from fire hydrants as soon as available equipment and personnel will allow.

Residents are encouraged to “adopt” a hydrant and keep it clear of snow. Such efforts by residents are in their own best interests as it affords better fire protection to their property as well as their neighbours.

Yes. Over the course of the winter season, Public Works staff monitors the weather conditions on a daily basis. When the forecast predicts consecutive days of milder temperatures (typically 2-3 days of greater than 0° C), supervisory staff will proactively investigate specified ditch locations to confirm whether snow and ice removal/clean-out is warranted. The intent of the winter drainage program is to maximize the capacity of existing ditch systems in areas that are historically subject to high run-off rates from melting snow or rain. Similarly, priority culverts and overland flow routes are inspected and cleaned out, as necessary.

Our snowplow operators are highly trained and take great effort to ensure properties aren’t damaged by the snowplow blade. However, it can be difficult to determine exactly where the edge of the road is located. As a result, some sod damage may occur. If this does happen, please contact the Public Works Department at 705.429.2540. Your name and address will be put on a list, and when warmer weather permits, our staff will make repairs. Boulevard reinstatement will include topsoil and seed only.

We all want our street cleared of snow quickly, but nothing slows down the work of snow plows more than cars parked on the street. To speed up snow removal, the town asks residents to help out by observing the following and abiding by existing by-laws:

• Moving all vehicles from the roadway during and after winter storm events. Keeping parked vehicles off the street and sidewalks will speed up snow removal and increase community safety;
• By not parking vehicles on town streets, sidewalks, boulevards, and parking lots, in accordance with municipal By-laws. Vehicles found to be impeding road and sidewalk snow-clearing operations can be ticketed and/or towed at the owner’s expense. Don’t park at the end of your driveway or over the sidewalk;
• Refraining from placing snow on the roadway when shoveling or plowing driveways, entrances and sidewalks
• Piling snow on the right side of your driveway (when facing the street) when shoveling. This helps to minimize the windrow (pile) of snow created by the snow plow at the end of your driveway
• Be a good neighbour. Help those who may not be able to shovel their driveways and walkways.  Become a Snow Angel.
• Be patient. In heavy snow falls, it takes us longer to get all our streets cleared.

Plow operators do not intentionally block driveways with snow. The plows have limited

control over the amount and direction of snow that comes off the plow. When you are

clearing the end of your driveway, please pile the snow on the right side (standing in

your driveway and facing the street). This helps reduce the amount of snow that is pushed onto your driveway when a snowplow passes. The town does not have a driveway windrow removal program and will not return to clear the snow from your driveway.

If you live on a corner property and the driveway is close to the corner, you can experience a buildup of more snow on your driveway as compared to your neighbours. This is an unavoidable condition caused by the nature of the snow plow and its ability to manoeuver turns.

The town participates in the Snow Angels program. To learn more about this program, visit their website.

*Alternatively, eligible residents may be entitled to a grant through the Town’s Snow Removal Financial Assistance Program.

The Town of Wasaga Beach has implemented a Snow Removal Financial Assistance Program to support:

• eligible low-income older adults (65+ years of age) OR a person who have been permanently confined to a wheelchair, restricted to the permanent use of crutches or braces, or otherwise be permanently disabled in such a way as to restrict physical mobility, and who;
  • Own and occupy the property on which the application is made, with direct driveway access to a municipally assumed road.
  • Not have claimed a credit on any other property for the same winter season.
  • Not live in a condominium dwelling whereby all snow removal is the direct responsibility of the condominium corporation.
  • Not have an able-bodied person capable of removing snow from the property residing at the address of application.

To qualify, you must:

• Be 65 years of age by the date of the application; and
• Be in receipt of the monthly qualified Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) as provided under Part II of the Old Age Security Act (Canada); and provide a copy of the GIS eligibility letter from Service Canada

Please refer to the Government of Canada website for information related to the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) 

To apply for the program, fill out the Snow Removal Financial Assistance Program Application and return it to the address below.

Download the application ​or contact us for an application 705.429.3844.

You can send completed application/reimbursement forms and receipts by mail or drop off at:

Town of Wasaga Beach — Town Hall Treasury Department
Attention:  Finance Manager
30 Lewis Street, Wasaga Beach, ON, L9Z 1A1

Scanned copies of your completed forms and receipts can be sent to financemanager@wasagabeach.com.

If you are a qualifying applicant, keep track of how much you have paid someone to clear the snow from your property. Use the reimbursement form that came with the application. If you require a reimbursement, download the form. 

You can send completed application/reimbursement forms and receipts by mail or drop off at:

Town of Wasaga Beach — Town Hall Treasury Department
Attention:  Finance Manager
30 Lewis Street, Wasaga Beach, ON, L9Z 1A1

Scanned copies of your completed forms and receipts can be sent to financemanager@wasagabeach.com.

If you hired a snow-clearing service provider and you need to pay for the service in advance, you may submit your reimbursement form immediately; however, the Town may not process the reimbursement forms until February.

Payments for approved grant applications shall be made as soon as is reasonable for the Treasury Department to process. Approved applicants will receive a cheque in the mail. 

A cash receipt for each occurrence of service is preferred; however, the Town will accept a cash receipt for a one-time seasonal fee. If your snow-clearing service provider does not provide receipts, ensure that each occurrence of service is recorded on the reimbursement form including the date of service, the cost incurred and the service provider’s signature.

The Town of Wasaga Beach only provides the financial assistance for clearing snow from driveways, not the service. Residents are responsible for finding their own snow-clearing service provider.

The Street Sweeping Program may take 5 to 6 weeks to complete all of the streets in Town. 

Once the sweeping operations have been initiated, crews generally work in the following order:

Main Roads > Roads with Paved Shoulders > Residential Side Streets > Parking Lots  

A typical street sweeper crew consists of rubber-tired front-end loaders in combination with trackless sweepers, mechanical street sweepers and dump trucks.  

A typical street flushing unit crew may be the first vehicles into the neighbourhoods with curb and gutters on their streets.  The street flusher will wash the sand off of the street and into the curb and gutter with clean, fresh water.  The mechanical street sweepers will arrive to the area after the street flusher, to pick up the sand out of the curb and gutters.   

Motorists are requested to please slow down while travelling in close proximity to the street sweeping equipment and their operators.  Please give the equipment space as you drive by. 

The sweeper is not able to pick up piles of sand; therefore, it is best if sand is left spread out on the side of the road.  Piled sand can be a hazard for traffic, pedestrians, and cyclists.  If you wish to sweep sand from the boulevard or your driveway, please ensure that sand is loosely swept and spread onto the edge of the roadway before the week of April 14th.

The Street Sweeping Program is subject to change depending on the weather, as the Spring wet weather can impact the performance of the cleaning equipment. 

Parked cars can hamper operations and give the appearance that areas have been missed.  So, please refrain from parking on the street until the cleanup crew has been through your neighbourhood. They may not be able to return to the area until late May to get the missed areas. 

The early morning work is a temporary disturbance to the neighbourhood. The crew are usually on your street only once or twice in the early morning during the Street Sweeping and Sand Cleanup Program. The purpose of the early morning shift is to provide an additional layer of safety to the residents and equipment operators, to avoid pedestrians (especially school aged children) and parked cars. Please accept our apologies ahead of time, for this short duration disturbance you may experience. 

We thank you for your cooperation and patience. The Sweeper Crews will do their best to get your street cleaned up as soon as they can.

No permit is required to remove a tree from private property on a residential lot if the lot is under 1 hectare in size and is not environmentally protected. However, commercial, industrial and high density residential lots may fall under "site plan control" and may have restrictions on tree removal.