Windrow Clearing Program

We've expanded our snow windrow clearing service to include more than 43,000 local, residential driveways. A snow windrow is the pile of snow left at the bottom of a driveway after a snowplow has cleared the road. 

Generally, snow windrow clearing will start four hours after road plowing begins and may take up to 13 hours to complete after the end of a snowfall. Times may vary depending on the length of the storm, snow accumulation and time of day (e.g. rush hour). You can visit RichmondHill.ca/RHPlows to track our plows online.

For the latest news on our winter maintenance activities visit RichmondHill.ca/WinterUpdates.

Three things you must do to get your snow windrow cleared

1. Don’t park on the street or over the sidewalk when it’s snowing or before snow is expected. This applies even if you have a temporary parking permit. Keep the roads clear for plows and emergency vehicles – or you will be ticketed and/or towed. The safety of staff and residents is our top priority. Parking on the road during a snow event puts all our safety at risk.
2. On waste collection days, place your garbage, blue boxes and green bins away from the curb on the right side of your driveway (if you're facing the house). This will allow the plow to remove the snow windrow without disturbing the waste.
3. Don’t park near the bottom of your driveway. 

Please note:

• Windrows created by sidewalk plowing operations are not part of the windrow clearing program.
• Residents are responsible for clearing snow that may fall back onto the driveway after the windrow machine has passed.
• If there are any obstructions at the end of a driveway that may interfere with operations (i.e. vehicles, landscaping features, basketball nets, decorative stones) the windrow will not be cleared. 

Did you know...

• Council was able to deliver this expanded service while still achieving the lowest tax increase in the GTA in 2020 and a tax freeze in 2021
• In between services and in the offseason our windrow operators are deployed to support enhanced service in our parks and trails system

Regional Roads

York Region Government maintains main arterial roads that run through Richmond Hill such as Yonge Street, Bayview Avenue and 16th Avenue. Snow windrow clearing service is not provided to these streets.