Snow and Ice Control Policy — full text

This is an automated transcription (OCR) of the captured official document — minor recognition errors are possible; the source document governs. Snapshot 10ba3fb05efe · verified 2026-06-05 · original document · archived snapshot · unofficial consolidation, the official version is held by the municipal clerk.

| Ver. | Date | Description | |--------|------------|-----------------| | 1.0 | 2025-12-16 | Initial release | ## Town of Antigonish Snow and Ice Control Policy ## 1. Purpose The purpose of the Snow and Ice Control (SNIC) Policy is to define the responsibilities of the Town of Antigonish's winter maintenance operations and to establish the priorities, standards, and service levels of the snow and ice control program. An effective and efficient snow and ice control program is necessary to enable the municipality to function under normal winter weather conditions, reduce snow and ice hazards, and provide the public with safe and reliable access to Town-controlled roadways, sidewalks, and parking lots. This policy provides direction to staff involved in snow and ice management operations to ensure that streets, sidewalks, and parking lots are cleared in a safe and timely manner. ## 2. Scope and Authority This policy applies to all Town-controlled streets, sidewalks, and public parking lots maintained by the Town of Antigonish. It governs all winter maintenance activities carried out by Town employees and authorized contractors. Authority for the implementation and enforcement of this policy rests with the Director of Infrastructure and Engineering and the Manager of Public Works, who are responsible for ensuring compliance with the established priorities and service levels. Council retains the authority to approve or amend this policy and related service levels through formal resolution. ## 3. Policy Statement The Town will manage Snow and Ice Control operations on Town-controlled streets, sidewalks, and public parking lots in accordance with established service level priorities, relevant Town policies, by-laws, and all applicable provincial legislation. The intent of the snow and ice control program is to minimize economic loss to the community, reduce the inconvenience and hazards of winter conditions for motorists and pedestrians, and ensure that emergency service vehicles can operate safely and efficiently. The intent of the Snow and Ice Control Policy for streets is to create acceptable winter driving conditions for vehicles that are properly equipped for winter driving and operated with appropriate caution. The intent is also to maintain reasonable mobility conditions along Town-controlled sidewalks and active transportation trails for pedestrians and users under normal winter conditions. Accessibility for all shall remain a priority. It is recognized that during extreme winter conditions, the immediate demand for snow and ice control services may exceed available resources. In the event that extreme winter snowfall is classified as an emergency by the Emergency Coordination Center (ECC), the overall response to the event may be coordinated under the direction of the Director of Infrastructure and Engineering. ## 4. Definitions For the purposes of this policy, the following terms apply: - Salting: The application of salt or other de-icing materials to roadways or sidewalks to prevent or reduce ice formation. - Sanding: The application of sand or abrasive materials to improve traction on icy surfaces. - Plowing: The mechanical removal or displacement of accumulated snow from roadways or sidewalks. - Snow Removal: The transportation of accumulated snow from a location to an approved storage or disposal site. - Downtown Core: Sidewalks as defined in Appendix A of the Town of Antigonish Ice and Snow Removal Bylaw. ## 5. Service Levels Levels of Service (LOS) are established for Town-controlled roadways and pedestrian infrastructure according to their priority ranking. The Snow and Ice Control priorities are based on the following criteria: - Street classification - Emergency routes - Topography - Traffic and pedestrian volumes School zones and accessibility considerations are directly related to pedestrian volumes. Winter operations typically begin December 1 and end April 30 each year, subject to weather conditions and public activity levels. Ice control is conducted as necessary to improve traction and is based on pavement temperature, atmospheric conditions, and topography. Salting activities generally begin prior to a storm event, and snow plowing generally commences when snowfall accumulation begins to impede the safe flow of or vehicular or pedestrian traffic. ## General SNIC Priorities 1. Streets 2. Critical Municipal Operations/Services 3. Sidewalks 4. Parking Lots ## Key Level of Service (LOS) Points 1. The safety of the public and Town operators is paramount in all aspects of winter operations. 2. Snow and ice management operations will commence when conditions warrant, with plowing and salting activities prioritized based on road classification, safety considerations, and prevailing weather conditions to maintain an appropriate level of service across the transportation network. 3. Service levels may vary depending on factors such as temperature, time of year, time of day, forecasted weather, equipment and operator availability, competing priorities (e.g., emergency repairs), private contractor activity, frost conditions, and storm duration. 4. The timing and extent of snow and ice control on sidewalks will be determined by available resources, time of day or week, school operations, and impending weather conditions. 5. Priority will be given to heavily travelled streets and sidewalks, as defined in this policy. 6. Additional street widening, intersection clearing, snow removal and other follow-up activities will occur following completion of priority operations and as time and budget permit. ## 6. Service Level Expectations ## Minor Storm ## Streets The objective is that all streets will be cleared of snow within 12 hours following the end of a snowstorm of up to approximately 15 cm (Appendix A). ## Priority 1 - Primary Streets: - Collector-arterial streets ## Priority 2 - Secondary Streets: - School zones - Streets with steep inclines ## Priority 3 - Residential Streets: - Residential streets ## Sidewalks The objective is that all sidewalks will be cleared of snow within 24 hours following the end of a snowstorm of up to approximately 15 cm. ## Priority 1 - Sidewalks: - Sidewalks in the Downtown Core including area adjacent to accessible parking - Sidewalks in school zones ## Priority 2 - Sidewalks: - Local street sidewalks Where practicable, one sidewalk will be cleared on each street before the second sidewalk is opened. For efficiency, plowing routes may determine whether both sidewalks are cleared on a particular street before others are opened. ## Public Parking Lots and Street Parking Town staff will take necessary steps to minimize public hazards caused by snow and ice conditions on Town-owned or leased properties. Public parking lots will be cleared following the completion of priority street and sidewalk operations. Designated accessible parking and loading/unloading spaces within the Downtown Core will be cleared to facilitate access between the street and sidewalk areas. Winter parking bans will be enforced in accordance with the applicable Act / By-law. ## Major Storm A major snowstorm will be declared by the Director of Infrastructure and Engineering or the Public Works Manager when snowfall intensity and accumulation prevent crews from maintaining all Town streets in a cleared condition while the storm is ongoing. During a declared major snowstorm, operations will focus on keeping numbered routes, arterial roads, and designated emergency routes open to maintain essential access. As conditions improve and snowfall intensity decreases, plowing operations will expand to include remaining streets, with sidewalk clearing commencing as resources and conditions permit. When visibility or weather conditions make the safe operation of equipment impractical, snow and ice control operations will be temporarily suspended until conditions improve. ## Snow Removal Buildups of snow / ice between the curb and sidewalk (snow storage area) will occur as a result of regular plowing activities. Removal of this buildup will occur on Main Street, from Hawthorne Street to Court Street following the end of a snowstorm, if warranted by the Director or Manager. Generally, snow removal activities will occur at night. The determination of whether removal activities are required will be based on the hazards to pedestrians, and whether changing conditions may create a hazard to pedestrians (i.e. freeze / thaw conditions creating ice). Staffing levels, contractor availability, and other priority work (i.e. watermain breaks) will all be factors assessed when determining if snow removal activities will be undertaken. Snow removal on other streets within the Town will be at the discretion of the Director of Infrastructure and Engineering or the Manager of Public Works and guided by traffic safety needs including intersection visibility as well as available budget. ## 7. Salt Management The Town of Antigonish is committed to the efficient management of road salt while continuing to provide effective winter maintenance to ensure the safety of motorists, pedestrians, and winter maintenance workers. The Town will demonstrate environmental responsibility by implementing best management practices. To achieve this commitment, the Town will: - Conduct operational activities in a manner that protects the environment and prevents or minimizes pollution. - Continue to provide snow and ice control on Town streets to achieve established service level standards. - Comply with environmental legislation, relevant standards, and industry codes of practice that apply to the Town's facilities and operations. - Provide all winter maintenance personnel with appropriate training and resources to complete their assigned tasks safely and effectively. - Establish and track objectives and targets to verify performance and identify opportunities for continual improvement. - Monitor operations and implement corrective or preventive actions to improve performance. - Communicate the requirements of this Policy to all affected employees. ## 8. References - Municipal Government Act (Nova Scotia) - Motor Vehicle Act (Nova Scotia) - Town of Antigonish Parking By-law - Town of Antigonish Ice and Snow Removal By-law - Environment Canada Code of Practice for the Environmental Management of Road Salts ## Appendix A - Street Priority ## Priority 1 - Primary Streets - Main Street - Bay Street - St. Andrews Street - Church Street - West Street - James Street - St Ninian Street (from Main Street to West Street) - Hawthorne Street - College Street (from Hallowell Grant Road to Main St) - Sydney Street ## Priority 2 - Secondary Streets - Acadia Street - Adam Street - Braemore Avenue - Brookland Street - College Street (Main Street to St. Ninian Street) - Court Street (Main Street to St. Mary's Street) - Creighton Lane - East Main Street - Elm Street - -Fairview Street (James Street to Highland Drive) - Greening Drive - Highland Drive - Pleasant Street - St Mary's Street - St Ninian Street (West Street to Church Street) - Victoria Street - Xavier Drive (from Hawthorne Street to Braemore Avenue) - Haley Road ## Priority 3 - Residential / Local Streets All other streets not listed above ## Appendix B - Sidewalk Priority ## Priority 1 - Primary Sidewalks - Bay Street - Braemore Avenue - Brookland Street - Church Street - College Street - Hawthorne Street (from Main Street to Xavier Drive) - Highland Drive - James Street - Main Street - West Street - Xavier Drive (from Hawthorne Street to Braemore Avenue) ## Priority 2 - Secondary Sidewalks All other sidewalks not listed above and where needed, the second side of a sidewalk. ## Appendix C - Public Parking Areas Parking Lots - -Creighton Lane - Town Hall - St Mary's Street - -Sydney Street - Main Street (Sunflower Natural Foods) - John Paul Center - Chisholm Park - Antigonish Town and County Library  ## CAO's Annotation for Official Policy Date of Notice to Council Members Intent to Consider (Minimum 7 Days): December 2, 2025 Date of Passage of Current Policy: December 16, 2025 I certify that this Policy was adopted by Council as indicated above. 2026-01-21 Chief Administrative Officer Date