Snow and Ice Control Reminder

Nov 18 2022

Type(s)

Public Notice

2022 - Ice and Snow Removal FAQ.pdf

During the winter season, the City of Prince Rupert asks residents to do their part in helping City crews make the snow and ice removal process more efficient and effective. Below are some tips and answers to your frequently asked questions, as well as information on snow clearing requirements for businesses.

Clearing snow and keeping our streets and sidewalks safe is the responsibility of the City Operations Department and the community through the City of Prince Rupert Traffic Bylaw and Snow and Ice Policy.

As per the policy and bylaw, see the guidelines below:

Do not deposit snow on public roadways. Pushing or blowing snow and ice onto or across public roadways creates an unsafe situation for drivers.
Where possible, please ensure that all Vehicles, RV’s, Boats and Trailers are stored on your property and not on the roads. This keeps the boulevards clear providing easy access for snow removal equipment. During the snow and ice control seasons, the City of Prince Rupert will not accept responsibility for damage to vehicles parked on streets, lanes or boulevards.
Stay a safe distance from the rear of a plow truck and avoid passing or driving beside a plow truck.
Adopt a sidewalk – help make a positive contribution in your community. Residents who are able and willing may wish to lend a hand to their neighbours who are not able to clear their snow due to mobility issues.
Sight lines – Do not pile your snow at the end of your driveway, as this may obscure your line of sight when exiting your driveway.
Clearing Catch Basins (drainage grates) – for those seeking to do a little extra, the City requests your assistance to keep drainage grates clear of leaves, snow and other debris to avoid flooding. If flooding is noticed, please contact Public Works directly at 250.624.6795. In the interests of public safety, please do not rake or blow leaves into the street.

Have questions? Check out the list below for Frequently Asked Questions that we’ve compiled to help residents understand the snow clearing process/priorities.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does the snow plow leave a wall of snow in front of my driveway?

The operator must plow snow to the curb or right hand side of the road, and has limited control over the amount and direction of snow that comes off the blade. The plow blade is at a set position, and does not have the ability to swivel around driveways and crown of the road. When clearing your driveway, pile the snow on the right side (if you are standing in your driveway and looking towards the street). This can help reduce the amount of snow that is pushed onto your driveway when a snow plow passes.

Can the snow plow operator lift the blade at every driveway?

Can the snow plow trucks plow all the snow to the other side of the street where there are no sidewalks or driveways?

Can I place the snow from my driveway or parking area onto the traveled portion of the street?

To help keep sidewalks and roads safe for travel, residents must avoid pushing or blowing snow from their sidewalk or driveway into the street because it can potentially create dangerous conditions for motorists, and is unlawful under the Highway Traffic Act.

Depositing the snow back onto the roadway after a plow truck has gone by creates issues for our snow removal crews. The plow will need to make an additional run down your street to clean it up which increases City’s costs with additional staff time, fuel and equipment wear and tear, not to mention delays in getting to other areas of the City that also need to be plowed.

Can the City’s snow plow operator plow my driveway?

When will our streets be plowed or sanded?

After a snowfall the streets are prioritized based on our Winter Snow and Ice Control Policy, with first priority being emergency vehicle and public transportation routes. When snow exceeds 5 centimeters (2 inches), and when ice control is necessary, staff will commence with snow control activities within two (2) hours of the decision to mobilize. The City relies in part on our residents to inform us when road conditions are hazardous – contact Public Works weekdays from 7:30 am to 4:30 pm at 250.624.6795 or after hour emergency line at 250.624.3000.

Own a business? This section applies to you!

Sidewalk Clearing in Commercial Areas

Local bylaws designate the clearing of sidewalks in commercial areas as the responsibility of the occupant and/or property owner of buildings, businesses and vacant property in the Commercial and Light Industrial areas. See below for regulatory requirements.

Owners are responsible to promptly remove any snow, ice or rubbish from the sidewalks and footpaths bordering on the property, and shall not allow any snow, ice or rubbish to remain on the sidewalks and footpaths bordering on the property after the hour of 12:00 o’clock noon on any day except Sunday or a statutory holiday.
When clearing the sidewalks, the City requests that businesses and property owners do not use table, rock salt or a sodium based product as it will damage the surface of our sidewalks. Suitable alternative de-icing products such as gravel are available for purchase from local retailers.
Sidewalks should be clear of snow and ice the full length and width of the walkway to bare concrete to ensure accessibility for all residents.
As in residential areas, please do not shovel onto the Street, due to safety hazard.

Failure to comply with the bylaw places the public and municipality at risk. If required, the City will fulfill these obligations for you at your cost in the interests of public safety. Should the City be required to manage snow on your behalf, the Property Owner will be invoiced accordingly with a minimum charge of $150.00 per occurrence.

Want to report a violation? Contact the City of Prince Rupert Bylaw Officer at 250.624.6852 or by email at bylaw@princerupert.ca or call the Public Works Department at 250.624.6795, and press 2 for Customer Service.

For a full list of zones where regulations apply, and more information, see the City of Prince Rupert Traffic Bylaw No. 2470, as amended.

Thank you in advance for your compliance with the bylaw - we look forward to working together to make City streets as safe as possible for residents this winter season.