Why It's Important To Remove Snow and Ice
There are a number of reasons why property owners should remove snow and ice from their property. These reasons include:
- Reducing the risk of slip-and-fall accidents
- Increasing accessibility
- Making property maintenance more manageable
- Complying with Calgary’s bylaws
The last point—complying with bylaws—is the main focus of this article, but it’s essential to keep the other reasons in mind, too. Injuries and liability suits are never fun, and neither is being unable to leave your property because of snow and ice.
About Calgary's Snow Removal Bylaws
Calgary has some of the strictest snow removal bylaws in all of Canada. Property owners must clear snow and ice from public property—not doing so can lead to fines. Fortunately, snow and ice cleared from public property can be dumped onto the road—though the City encourages you to avoid blocking crosswalks or access.
An obvious advantage to this process is that by giving property owners the responsibility to shovel snow from the sidewalks surrounding their property, the City of Calgary can put more resources toward other snow removal projects.
The City of Calgary enforces these bylaws consistently. Here are some things to keep in mind:
- Snow must be cleared within 24 hours of the end of the snowfall.
- Noise restrictions for snowblowers and other snow-clearing equipment are lifted for 48 hours after snowfall ends.
- Fines increase over time—the more frequently you are fined, the more expensive each fine will be.
With these regulations in mind, let’s delve deeper into the details of Calgary’s snow and ice removal bylaw:
What Areas Are Homeowners Responsible For?
Homeowners and property owners in Calgary are responsible for:
- Clearing snow and ice down to the bare surface from public walkways and public sidewalks bordering private properties they own.
- Clearing snow from their own private driveways and walkways.
Snow cleared from public areas may be cleared onto the street; snow cleared from your own private property must be cleared somewhere else on your private property (like in your yard).
What Areas Are the City Responsible For?
The City is responsible for most other areas, including priority roads, sidewalks bordering city properties, transit properties, pedestrian overpasses, and more. There are several things that the City will not do, however—they will not, for example, clear residential roads to bare pavement or plow back alleys.
Additionally, the City does not remove windrows created by its own snow plows.
Penalties for Failing To Remove Snow
Property owners must remove snow, as described above, within 24 hours of a snowfall. Failure to do so can lead to fines. These fines include:
- An invoice for clearing the sidewalk on their behalf. The cost is a minimum flat rate of $150, plus GST and an administration fee.
- Fines of:
- $250 for a first offence
- $500 for a second offence
- $750 for a third offence and each offence thereafter within a 12-month period
These fines may be enforced by mandatory court appearances after repeat offences.
How Infinity Asphalt Can Help
The Calgary snow removal bylaw may be strict, but that doesn’t mean you need to panic. Here at Infinity, we go above and beyond, clearing your private property and adjacent public sidewalks and walkways. We can also clear the alley behind your home and other areas where you need snow cleared.
Looking for snow removal in Calgary? Want to comply with city bylaws? Call Infinity Asphalt.
Brent Schuldhaus is the founder and president of Infinity Asphalt. He grew up in Calgary, Alberta, played junior hockey for three years, graduated from the Smith School of Business at Queen’s University in Ontario with a Bachelor of Commerce and went on to found Infinity Asphalt in 2019.
