Snow clearing in Oakville

What is the order, and how long does each take?

Primary roads first: salting starts as snow first accumulates, plowing at 2.5 centimetres, and all main roads are cleared within about six hours after the snow stops. Secondary roads, which include the bus routes, are plowed from five centimetres and cleared within about 12 hours. Residential streets are plowed only after the snowfall ends and more than 7.5 centimetres has fallen, within about 24 hours. Transit stops and driveway windrows come last.

In a heavy snowfall or back-to-back storms every stage takes longer, and the Town says so on its page.

Source: Town of Oakville, Snow clearing

Is my street primary, secondary or residential?

Primary roads are the fastest, busiest roads, such as Trafalgar Road and Upper Middle Road. Secondary roads carry less traffic but have bus routes and generally lead to primary roads; Glenashton Drive and West Oak Trails are the Town's examples. Everything else is residential, though a street that looks residential can be classed secondary because of traffic, a school, or hills. The Town's Snow Plow Routes Map shows each street's class.

• Snow Plow Routes Map and Plow Oakville tracker (Town page)

Source: Town of Oakville, Snow clearing

Will my road be cleared to bare pavement?

Not if it is residential. Primary and secondary roads are expected to be bare and chemically wet once service levels are met; residential roads are expected to be snow-packed, because a sand-and-salt mix is spread only when conditions call for it and plows cannot scrape off snow that has bonded to the pavement. Some rutting is normal. Outside the Downtown, Kerr Street and Bronte business areas, sidewalks are plowed but not salted.

Source: Town of Oakville, Snow clearing

How can I see where the plows are?

The Town's Plow Oakville tracker shows clearing progress street by street, and its snow clearing updates page carries the latest notices. The Town warns that a street shown as cleared can change quickly with weather, drifting, parked cars and traffic.

• Plow Oakville tracker and updates (Town page)

Source: Town of Oakville, Snow clearing

Who clears the sidewalk, and how long does it take?

The Town plows sidewalks. Main sidewalks are plowed from five centimetres and cleared within about 24 hours after the snow stops; local sidewalks are plowed from eight centimetres and cleared within about 48 hours. Salt or sand goes down when a sidewalk is judged slippery.

Sidewalk plows are big machines and will lift unfrozen sod at the edge; the Town says some damage is inevitable and repairs it in spring (below).

Source: Town of Oakville, Snow clearing

Will the plow clear the pile it leaves at the end of my driveway?

Not as part of ordinary plowing: operators do not aim windrows at driveways but cannot control where the snow goes. The Town runs a paid Driveway Windrow Snow Clearing program from December 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027, at $190.27 plus HST ($215 with tax) for the season. It clears about 80 per cent of the windrow, once per snow event, up to 36 hours after the snowfall ends, and only after more than 7.5 centimetres has fallen and all roads have been plowed. It does not clear the driveway itself, windrows left by sidewalk plows, or private and unassumed roads.

Priority registration (residents 65 or older, residents with a physical disability or medical condition, or households with no able-bodied person under 65) runs October 1 to 15, 2026; general registration October 16 to November 7, first come first served, capped at 1,100 addresses in total. The fee is not refundable once an address is accepted, however many storms there are, and the Town is not responsible for driveway or curb damage.

• Driveway Windrow Snow Clearing program

Source: Town of Oakville, Driveway windrow snow clearing

When are bus stops cleared?

After more than five centimetres has fallen and the roads have been cleared. Stops on primary and secondary roads come first, and all stops are generally done within 48 hours of the end of the storm, longer in a heavy or repeated snowfall.

Source: Town of Oakville, Snow clearing

Can I park on the street in winter?

Not overnight without a permit. The Parking By-law prohibits parking on Town streets between 2 and 6 a.m. from November 15 to April 15. A vehicle that obstructs snow clearing can be ticketed with or without a permit. North of Dundas Street, where the new communities were planned for overnight on-street parking, a permit costs $6 a day or $55 for 30 days and is bought through the Town's online parking account.

• North of Dundas overnight parking permit
• All parking permits

Source: Town of Oakville, Snow clearing (winter parking)

Do I have to dig out the fire hydrant?

The Town asks residents to keep at least one metre clear around any hydrant near their home or business, in every direction. Anyone who cannot is asked to call Halton Region at 311 for help.

Source: Town of Oakville, Snow clearing (fire hydrants)

The plow tore up my lawn. Who repairs it?

Report it through the Town's Winter Services report-a-problem page. Damage reported before May 15 goes on the list for inspection and repair by the end of May; anything reported later may wait until the next winter season.

Often the sod that comes up is grass that had grown over the sidewalk edge; the Town repairs it either way.

• Report a problem (ServiceOakville)

Source: Town of Oakville, Snow clearing (lawn damage)

What can I do to help?

Keep the catch basin near your home clear so meltwater can drain, park off the street when you can, and keep the hydrant clear. The Town has a Salt Management Plan and will not salt residential roads to bare pavement, so plan on snow-pack driving on local streets.

Source: Town of Oakville, Snow clearing (preparing for snow)