Snow Clearing News and Notices
Winter Event status: Due to the heavy snow this weekend, the ‘Winter Event’ declaration remains in effect and on-street parking is prohibited until further notice. The ‘Significant Weather Event’ declaration also remains in effect. Winter maintenance operations will take longer than usual to complete. We thank you in advance for your patience. When 5+cm of snow is expected, the City will declare a 'Winter Event' and on-street parking will be prohibited until winter operations have ended. A 'Significant Weather Event' may also be declared when extreme weather, such as heavy/blowing snow or freezing rain has the potential to pose danger to drivers/pedestrians and it may take longer than normal to complete winter maintenance activities. Subscribe to this page to receive 'Winter Event' and/or 'Significant Weather Event' notifications and maintenance updates by clicking 'Receive email updates' below.
Last updated: February 18, 2025, 9:30 p.m.
Winter Maintenance Activities
Road Operations
Spot plowing and salting operations are ongoing.
Sidewalk Operations
Sidewalk winter maintenance operations are ongoing.
Windrow Operations
Windrow operations are ongoing.
Track My Road Plow Track My Windrow Plow
How long does it take to clear the snow?
Staff work hard to clear roads, sidewalks and windrows as quickly and efficiently as possible. Primary (main) roads are cleared first, followed by secondary (neighbourhood) roads. Once the snow stops falling, we aim to clear the snow in:
Times may vary due to snowfall amounts, length of storm, time of day (e.g. rush hour), etc. Please give our crews time to complete operations before contacting Access Richmond Hill with service requests.
Winter Maintenance Overview
Overview of Richmond Hill's winter maintenance program |
The City maintains 1,100 lane km of roads, nearly 750 km of sidewalks and clears snow windrows from the end of 55,000+ local, residential driveways.
Weather conditions trigger the following services:
Our goal is to maintain roads so they are safe and passable. Some snow and/or slush may remain in places. Learn more about: |
How residents can support winter maintenance operations |
Residents can help winter operations run smoothly and safely by doing the following:
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On-street parking |
You cannot park on the street when the City of Richmond Hill has declared a 'Winter Event' which is expected to require snow clearing. If your vehicle is parked on the street during a winter event or so as to interfere with winter operations, you may receive a ticket and have to pay a fine. If your vehicle is in the way of our plows, salters or emergency vehicles, it could be towed.
In addition, there is no parking on any street between 1 a.m. and 7 a.m. from December 1 to March 31. For more information, visit the Parking page. Temporary Parking PermitsWhen a 'Winter Event' is declared, temporary on-street parking permits are not valid for on-street parking. During this time, you can park at select City-owned facilities if you cannot arrange alternative off-street parking. Please ensure that the temporary parking permit is displayed clearly on your vehicle’s dash. A list of select City-owned facilities can be found at RichmondHill.ca/ParkingPermits. |
Winter Event and Significant Weather Event Declarations |
A 'Winter Event' is declared when 5+cm of snow/icefall is expected within the next 24 hours. During Winter Events, on-street parking is prohibited. Temporary parking permits are no longer valid for on-street parking, but can be used at select City-owned facilities.
A 'Significant Weather Event' may be declared when an approaching or occurring extreme weather hazard has the potential to pose danger to users of roadways and sidewalks. Extreme weather conditions include freezing rain, significant snowfall, strong winds, blowing snow and reduced visibility. As a result, it may take longer than normal to complete winter maintenance activities. |
Frequently asked questions (FAQs) |
You can find answers to some of the most frequently asked snow clearing questions on our Winter Maintenance FAQs page. |
Additional winter maintenance information
During business hours you can call Access Richmond Hill at 905-771-8800. For more information, visit the links below.
Service Charter
Learn more about our Service Charter.
Service Commitments |
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