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The Municipality of West Perth is committed to providing a high level of snow removal service throughout the winter season. Using a combination of Municipal staff and contractors, plowing and salting is performed each winter providing safe roads and sidewalks during the winter season.
The Municipality is equipped with:
- 6 Tandem Dump Trucks with plow & Sander units
- 4 Graders with plow and wing
- 5 ¾ ton 4 x 4 pickup with plow
- 2 Tractors with blowers
- 2 Tandem Dump trucks (Downtown Snow removal)
- 1 5 ton Single Axle Dump Truck with plow & sander
- 2 MT tractor with blower (sidewalk unit)
This team maintains the Municipality's 517.9 km of roadway and 44 km of sidewalk.
| Are all roads cleared at once? |
| No. The Municipality clears primary and some secondary roads first to ensure that emergency service vehicles can gain access throughout the Municipality. These are the roads that carry the higher volumes of traffic and are the roads people use to get to business areas and in and out of the urban areas. Residential streets are plowed only after primary and secondary roads are cleared. |
| What are primary, secondary and residential roads? |
| Primary, secondary, and residential roads are defined by Minimum Maintenance Standards for Municipal Highways, O. Reg. 239/02. Primary roads are generally those with the highest speeds and greatest volume of traffic. Secondary roads have less traffic and generally lead to primary roads. The remainder of roads are classified as residential. |
| When does the Municipality plow? |
| When snow accumulation reaches 8 cm, the Municipality plows primary and secondary roads. The Municipality of West Perth follows the provincially prescribed standards for winter maintenance (Minimum Maintenance Standards for Municipal Highways, O. Reg. 239/02) however, our team always strives to exceed the minimum standards. |
| When does the Municipality salt/sand the roads? |
| Sand/Salt trucks are dispatched at the first sign of roads beginning to ice. |
| What is a windrow? |
| As a result of our snow clearing activities, windrows may be deposited across laneways. We will do our very best at reducing the extent of these windrows, however windrows will result from the snow clearing activity. Please keep in mind that in order for the Municipality to maintain efficiency, we will not remove these windrows and they are the responsibility of the resident. |
| Why does the snow plow leave a windrow at the end of my driveway? |
| Plow operators do not intentionally block driveways, but they have limited control over the amount and direction of snow that comes off the plow. The Municipality does not clear driveways. |
| When can I expect my sidewalk to be cleared? |
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Sidewalks are cleared after snow accumulation reaches 8 cm.
Sidewalk clearing is generally completed within 24 hours after the end of the storm; however, when we have a heavy snowfall or successive winter events back to back it will take longer to clear all sidewalks.
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| Why can't I push snow out onto the road, sidewalk or boulevard? |
| The pushing or blowing of snow onto the municipal road allowance (which includes road, sidewalk, and boulevards) is prohibited under By-law. Depositing snow or ice on the street creates hazardous conditions and could result in an accident or injury. Make sure your snow removal contractor is aware this practice is unsafe and not permitted. |
| What do I do if the snowplow hits my mailbox? |
Occasionally, the wing or plow attachment on snow removal vehicles can make contact with roadside fixtures. As we strive to provide excellent services to residents, we ask that any damages done to mailboxes be reported through our website or by calling the Municipal Office so staff can review and improve our processes.
| Mailbox Policy and Procedures |
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As per the 2023-2024 Winter Operations Planning Document for West Perth, a Mailbox Policy and Procedure has been described to specify mailbox installation instructions to reduce winter damage to mailboxes.
5.7.16 Mailbox Policy and Procedures
The purpose of this policy is to outline the requirements for rural mailbox installations along West Perth maintained roads and to clearly define the Municipality’s responsibilities regarding winter damage to mailboxes.
1. All mailboxes shall meet all applicable Canada Post Standards, along with the Canada Post Rural Mailbox guidelines.
2. All new and replacement mailboxes shall be installed by owners in a manner shown on the attached page of drawings and the posts shall not consist of material stronger than a 6-inch (0.15 m) diameter cedar post or a 2-inch (0.05 m) diameter standard wall steel pipe. The bottom of the box shall be 42” to 45” (1.067m) from the ground elevation in accordance with Canada Post regulations. The support post shall be erected in a location which will provide:
a. A minimum total width of 18 feet (5.49 m) measured from the opposite edge of the travelled portion of the roadway to the front face of the mailbox; and
b. A minimum width of 2 feet (0.6 m) measured from the same edge of the travelled portion of the roadway to the front face of the mailbox.
3. All new and replacement mailboxes shall have a section (minimum 1inch (0.02 m) diameter) of highly reflective material permanently affixed to the mailbox on the side of the approaching traffic.
4. The Municipality will not be responsible for any damage caused by snowplows to mailboxes or posts which are not consistent with the Canada Post and the Municipality’s standards.
5. If, however, a plow comes into physical contact with a mailbox or post which meets the standards and is damaged by the Municipality during snow removal operations, that post and mailbox of same or similar design will be either repaired or replaced by the Municipality at the discretion of the Operations Manager or his designate. The maximum amount spent on a replacement mailbox shall not exceed $200.00.
6. If a mailbox is repeatedly damaged as a result of physical contact (three Municipal documented cases), the Municipality will provide a written recommendation for an alternate installation location. The Municipality’s responsibility for further damage will cease if relocation to the recommended location by the property owner does not occur.
7. The Municipality will not be responsible for any damage caused by snow or slush coming into contact with a mailbox or post during snow removal operations.
8. In the event that a post exists or is installed which is stronger than a 6-inch diameter cedar post or a 2-inch diameter standard wall steel pipe, the owner of the mailbox and post shall be liable for any and all damage to snow removal equipment which may occur if this encroachment is struck.
9. In the event that a Municipal Road is to be reconstructed, the Municipality will remove all existing mailboxes along the applicable section of the road. Immediately after construction of the Municipal Road, the Municipality will erect all existing mailboxes on either existing or new posts at the discretion of the Municipality, in accordance with Municipal standards. If existing mailboxes/posts do not meet Canada Post and the Municipality standards, the property owner is responsible for installing a new mailbox and post which meets standards.
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| I live on a corner lot, why do I have more snow in my driveway than my neighbours? |
| 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 than your neighbours. This is an unavoidable condition caused by the nature of the snow plow and its ability to maneuver turns. |
| I live on a cul-de-sac and I seem to get more snow at the end of my driveway? |
| Residents who live on a cul-de-sac may sometimes feel their driveways get more snow than driveways on straight roads. Our staff is often asked why the driver cannot plow from the outside into the middle of the cul-de-sac. Plowing from the outside in will not work because as the truck circles the cul-de-sac, snow naturally tends to be pushed to the outside of the court. The driver would be pushing a larger amount of snow into an increasingly smaller area--toward the middle of the cul-de-sac. Eventually, there would be no place to go with all the snow. As with driveways on streets, it is inevitable that some snow comes off the plow. Try to wait until the cul-de-sac has been plowed to clear your driveway and push the snow to the right side (as you face the street). |
| Why is my lawn sometimes damaged by the sidewalk plow? |
| While operators try to be careful, some degree of damage is unavoidable. Sidewalk plows have to be large enough to move deep, heavy snow. Deep or drifted snow conditions often hide the sidewalk edge and, unfortunately, the plow can cause damage to grass. When sod is frozen, damage is minimal; however, when sod is not frozen, it lifts away very easily. To report sod damage, please call the Municipal Office. Staff will inspect the damage and make repairs in the spring. |
| What number do I call if I have a concern? |
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Complete the Report It form to report any road or sidewalk issues.
To report a snow related concern on County Roads call 519-271-0531.
To report a snow related concern on Provincial Highway call 1-855-557-8478.
A road map of who is responsible for each road in West Perth.
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Levels of Service
The Municipality of West Perth follows the provincially prescribed standards for winter maintenance (Minimum Maintenance Standards for Municipal Highways, O. Reg. 239/02) to clear roadways, sidewalks, and parking lots in the event of a snowfall. Plowing crews are dispatched once there is approximately 8 cm of snow that has fallen. Which streets, sidewalks, and parking lots get plowed first is decided on a pre-determined level of priority.
Winter reminders
On-street Parking
Residents are reminded to move all vehicles out of the roadway during a snowfall. On-street parking during a snow event is not permitted at any time of the day or night. If you park on the street during a snow event, your vehicle will be ticketed and may be towed. On-street parking during a snow event can severely slow down route clearing and in some cases, stops snow clearing altogether. Overnight parking on Municipal Streets and Parking Lots are not permitted between the hours of 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. as per the Parking By-law.
Sidewalks
You can help with our snow removal by clearing snow and ice from your sidewalks as soon as possible after a snowfall to ensure that they are safe for all residents. By keeping the sidewalks clear, it helps to ensure that all pedestrians especially those using walkers, scooters and strollers will be safe.
Owners or occupants of buildings fronting Ontario Street from Thames River to St. David Street, St. George Street from Montreal Street to Quebec Street and St. Andrew Street from Quebec Street to Montreal Street in the Ward of Mitchell are required to clear away and remove snow and ice from the sidewalks, alongside or at the rear of such buildings and from all fire escapes and other means of egress within a twenty-four (24) hour period of a snow event as per Removal of Snow By-law.
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PC Connect is your fully-accessible countywide, and beyond, transit system. PC Connect offers four bus routes that travel throughout Perth County and surrounding areas including Stratford, St. Marys, Kitchener/Waterloo and London. Operating Monday-Saturday, you can use the public bus service to get to where you need to go, such as work, healthcare appointments, shopping, or social and recreational activities. Fares begin at $5 a ride for some users.
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