Contact Us
Municipality of West Perth
169 St. David St.,
Mitchell, Ontario
N0K 1N0
First and foremost, no matter what the weather conditions, our top priority is to maintain safe and driveable roads for our residents. Our crews make every effort to clear roads and sidewalks as quickly and effectively as possible. We maintain 517.9 km of roads and 44 km of sidewalks, so your patience is appreciated.
| 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? |
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. |
| 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. |
| If 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 |
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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. |