Frequently asked questions

A windrow is a ridge of snow that a snowplow or grader leaves behind.

We will remove windrows taller than 8 inches (20cm) whenever operationally possible. Please wait until the end of the scheduled clearing shift to report the windrow to 311. Crews may return to address windrows. Please also ensure vehicles, equipment or other obstructions are moved a minimum 9 ft (3 m) of the windrow to allow snow-clearing equipment to perform the clearing.

Learn more about the Snow Clearing and Ice Control Policy.

As per the Council approved Snow Clearing and Ice Control Policy, we do not remove windrows left by back lane plowing operations. This is the homeowner's responsibility.

Learn more about the Snow Clearing and Ice Control Policy.

For the purposes of snow clearing, Winnipeg's street system is classified in three categories - Priority 1 (P1), Priority 2 (P2), and Priority 3 (P3). At some times, certain streets may be plowed on an accelerated basis for any number of reasons.

Learn more about the priority system.

Regional Streets (P1) are major routes such as Portage Avenue and Main Street.

Collector streets (P2) include non-regional bus routes and streets that collect traffic from the surrounding residential streets. Streets categories are determined by a few factors, such as traffic volumes and number of lanes.

Learn more about the priority system.

Crews monitor visibility at intersections on a regular basis and reduce any high piles at bus stops, crosswalks, lane entrances, and intersections to improve sightlines.

High snow piles at entrances to school parking lots and bus staging areas are the responsibility of the school unless the windrow blocks the adjacent sidewalk.

We do not remove high piles at private approaches or private entrances.

Learn more about the Snow Clearing and Ice Control Policy.

We clear Downtown sidewalks to the paved surface when possible. We start clearing these sidewalks within 36 hours of a five-centimetre accumulation of snow.

We clear other sidewalks, except for those alongside residential streets, to a compacted snow surface.

Learn more about the Snow Clearing and Ice Control Policy.

Removing ridges of snow that block private approaches is the responsibility of the property owners.

Learn more about the Snow Clearing and Ice Control Policy.

We remove windrows from major routes where there isn't enough capacity to store snow on-site. We haul this snow to a snow disposal site.

High snow piles at entrances to school parking lots and bus staging areas are the responsibility of the school unless the windrow blocks the adjacent sidewalk.

Learn more about the Snow Clearing and Ice Control Policy.

Canada Post is responsible for windrows adjacent to community mailboxes. You can create a service ticket on the Canada Post website to request snow clearance.

We make every effort to keep bus routes and bus stop platforms in a safe, snow-free condition. We clear them as part of our normal snow clearing operations.

The plowing standard is to clear the sidewalk to one bus-length for normal bus stops. Locations where multiple buses regularly pull up are cleared to approximately three bus lengths.

Where on-site snow storage is limited, we may need to wait until a hauling operation to clear or lengthen a cleared area.

Maintenance plowing operations will result in windrows (ridges of snow) along entire streets. This could include bus stops. Significant time may pass between when the plow cleans the area and when the loader comes to clean-up windrows. This is due to the high speed of the truck plows in relation to the speed of front-end loaders.

Weather permitting, we use salt to improve traction and prevent ice on P1 and P2 streets when temperatures are above -7 degrees C.

Learn more about the Snow Clearing and Ice Control Policy.

Crews spread treated sand on roadways as required when temperatures are below -7C. This mixture includes approximately five percent salt.

Learn more about the Snow Clearing and Ice Control Policy.

A beet based-melting solution is only one of many tools we use for snow and ice control. Itis not a replacement for salt or sand. The beet solution is effective in melting ice when temperatures are below -7C. The solution is tacky and adheres well to the roadway and reduces the amount of chlorides on the roadway. It is used for anti-icing roads, bridges and overpasses and pre-wetting sand and salt during application.

We clear back lanes to a compacted snow surface after we observe five centimetres or more snow accumulated or drifted. This helps keep back lanes accessible. Back lanes should be plowed within three days of the end of an average storm.

We typically clear back lanes alongside P1 and P2 streets. When the weather is mild, we sometimes must clear back lanes more frequently to improve drainage and reduce rutting.

As per the Council-approved Snow Clearing and Ice Control Policy, windrows left by snow plows from back lane plowing operations are not removed by the City. It is the responsibility of the homeowner to do so.

Learn more about the Snow Clearing and Ice Control Policy.

It is your responsibility to clear a pathway on the boulevard if you want one.

During a plowing operation, snow is stored on boulevards in the public right-of-way. This is one of the reasons we have boulevards.

We provide a service those who sign an annual declaration to the effect that they are physically incapable of shoveling their boulevard pathway.

Properties with front driveways do not qualify for this service.

Applicants must meet the following criteria to be approved:

1. The property owner/occupant has an accessibility issue and is physically incapable of shoveling snow (copy of medical certificate is required for all new applicants). This service is not provided for those with a short-term disability/handicap (eg. knee surgery).
2. No other able-bodied person resides in the property owner's/occupant's house.
3. The property owner/occupant is unable to arrange to have this work done by others due to financial circumstances.

Upon request, application forms for this service are mailed to residents to be filled out and returned with a copy of a doctor’s certificate.

Where applicable, a Bylaw Enforcement Officer will personally interview the applicant to verify the above criteria.

For more information, please contact 311.

There are many agencies that assist seniors and persons with accessibility issues. For more information on all types of services provided, please call the Community Home Services Program at 204-927-1720.

This matter is between you and your neighbour. We do not get involved in such disputes.

If you have tried to discuss the problem with your neighbour and have been unable to resolve this issue, you can contact Mediation Services at 204-925-3410 and/or a lawyer to answer any legal questions you may have.

No. If you see someone doing this, please contact 311. A Bylaw Enforcement Officer will investigate the situation and issue a notice if appropriate.

You are not allowed to dump or take snow from one location and dump it onto another property.

A loading zone designation does not have a special snow clearing status. It also does not restrict snow storage areas. We only clear loading zone locations designated by Winnipeg Transit Plus.

We do not remove windrows (ridges of snow) from loading zones serving commercial, industrial, or apartment buildings.

You can report a slippery location using the sanding request form.

Visit the snow clearing status map. If the map shows this location as complete, report it using the snow removal request form.

During the residential parking ban:

• Wait until the ban is lifted as crews may return at any point before the residential parking ban is lifted.
  • Residents can report a missed residential street once the operation ends:
    • Contacting 311
    • Using the online form

Parking bans are specific restrictions to parking that support snow clearing and ice control operations.

Learn more about parking ban descriptions.

Winter Routes are a top priority for snow clearing and ice control to ensure that emergency vehicles can navigate quickly and safely around the city. It’s important that vehicles are not parked on Winter Routes overnight to enable rapid and efficient snow clearing and ice control of these critical routes.

The Annual Winter Route Parking Ban will begin when weather conditions require it.

It can come into effect at any point from November 1 to the end of April. The declaration will be made and notice provided to Winnipeggers seven days in advance of the ban beginning.

Once the ban is in effect, vehicles cannot park on a designated winter route between 2 a.m. and 7 a.m. As we work to update current signage, winter routes will be marked by one of two signs: WINTER ROUTE or SNOW ROUTE. Both mean the same thing: once the ban is in effect, do not park between 2 a.m. and 7 a.m. or risk a ticket and tow.

If a road was previously a snow route, it is now a winter route.

As we work to update current signage, winter routes will be marked by one of two signs: WINTER ROUTE or SNOW ROUTE. Both mean the same thing: once the ban is in effect, do not park between 2 a.m. and 7 a.m. or risk a ticket and tow.

You can determine whether a given street is considered a winter route by using the interactive snow map.

Yes. As outlined in the amended Winter Parking Ban By-law, you may receive a ticket and you may be towed if you are parked on a street marked as either a snow route or a winter route once the Annual Winter Route Parking Ban is in effect.

Crews are working to replace the signs which is expected to take a few months. In the meantime, winter routes will be marked by one of two signs: WINTER ROUTE or SNOW ROUTE. Both mean the same thing: once the ban is in effect, do not park between 2 a.m. and 7 a.m. or risk a ticket and tow.

You can do this by:

• Downloading the Know Your Zone app
• Searching our interactive snow map
• Using the online address lookup tool
• Contacting 311

No. Overnight parking restrictions on designated routes apply even if it isn't snowing and even if the street appears to have been cleared. This is because snow and ice control activities are ongoing throughout the winter months. Crews can do a more efficient job if major routes are clear of vehicles overnight.

Vehicles parked in contravention of the ban may receive a ticket and be towed to the towing company's compound.

The earliest the Annual Winter Route Parking Ban can come into effect is on November 1. A seven-day notice period is required before the ban can take effect, which means the earliest a ban can be declared is on October 24.

The date that a ban is declared and when it is in effect may change from year-to-year based on weather conditions.

No. The City will provide a seven-day notice ahead of the Annual Winter Route Parking Ban coming into effect.

The City can end the ban with immediate effect. An announcement will be made when the ban is lifted and no longer operationally required. There will be no advance notification for lifting the ban.

Be in the know on snow by viewing the map at winnipeg.ca/snow.

The City may declare temporary parking restrictions as required, as is outlined in the Winter Parking Ban By-law.

The extended winter route parking ban provides us two more hours overnight to clear main routes. It means restrictions on winter routes come into effect nightly at midnight rather than 2 a.m.

You can do this by:

• Downloading the Know Your Zone app
• Searching our interactive snow map
• Using the online address lookup tool
• Contacting 311

Vehicles parked in violation of the residential parking ban may:

• Receive a $200 ticket ($150 if paid early)
• Be towed to a nearby street

We will use Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR) technology to identify vehicles parked illegally.

This technology helps us:

• Enforce parking restrictions across more of the city
• Improve compliance with restrictions
• Improve our snow clearing service

ALPR tickets will be mailed rather than put on windshields. Enforcement officers will continue to hand-deliver tickets when necessary.

Anyone who believes their vehicle may have been towed should contact 311 for help locating it.

It is your responsibility to find appropriate off street parking while the residential parking ban is in effect on your street.

It is important to note that the winter route parking ban will be suspended during a residential ban.

This means drivers may park overnight on designated winter routes from when the residential parking ban starts until it ends.

This suspension is meant to provide more parking options during residential plowing operations.

Drivers must continue to obey any temporary or unrelated on-street signage. This includes things like no parking during rush hour and loading zone signs. We will reinstate the annual winter route parking ban when the residential ban ends. This will once again prohibit parking on designated winter routes daily, from 2 a.m. to 7 a.m.

The Highway Traffic Act allows municipalities to impose Residential Parking Bans for snow removal without erecting signs provided conditions set out in the Highway Traffic General Regulations are met. In addition, erecting "no parking signs" signs on all residential streets in the city when a Residential Parking Ban is declared is not logistically feasible in a short timeframe, and is cost prohibitive. The City informs residents and motorists about winter parking bans, and when a Residential Parking Ban is declared through a variety of means including news releases, social media, direct email notifications to subscribers, Facebook posts, Twitter notifications, and web updates.

Wait until the ban is lifted as crews may return at any point before the residential parking ban is lifted. Once the ban is lifted, you may report a missed street by:

• Contacting 311
• Using the online form

We recommend checking your snow zone letter at the beginning of each winter season. We may reconfigure zones to make operations more effective.

To find out your snow zone letter, search your address or download the Know Your Zone app.

It is possible that your snow zone may need to be scheduled for more than a single 12-hour shift. This could occur when the progress of the snow clearing operation is delayed due to heavy accumulations of snow and ice, or when plowing is required during extreme cold temperatures. If additional plowing is required, crews will return to your street after the overall plowing operation is completed to finish clearing your location.

In some cases, crews are able to proceed faster than expected, and may move into areas that have not been identified for plowing for that shift.

In those instances, the plowing crews clear the non-parking side of the street only. The parking side of the street would then be scheduled for clearing the next shift when the residential parking ban applies.

Residential streets are prioritized based on several factors, including the day of the week and the start time of the plowing operation. Generally, plowing of residential streets is determined based on the garbage and recycling collection schedule. However, in cases where plowing operations and garbage and recycling collection days intersect, crews will move the carts before plowing is undertaken and will place them back once the plowing is completed.

No, snow zones do not apply to roads in rural locations in Winnipeg. We will plow these locations at a separate time with no additional parking restrictions.

No, snow zones do not apply to streets in industrial areas of Winnipeg. These streets are not included when a residential parking ban is declared. We will plow these locations at a separate time with no additional parking restrictions.

No, the street is cleared as a back lane and snow zones do not apply. We will plow these locations at a separate time with no additional parking restrictions.

Service roads are cleared as part of the residential street snow clearing operation and as such are assigned a snow zone letter.

If required, where parked cars are problematic to the snow clearing operation, temporary no parking signs will be placed on the service road to aid snow clearing at a later time.

You can sign up for notifications and download the Know Your Zone app for updates.

Temporary "No Parking" signs are used to prohibit vehicles from parking on streets so snow removal equipment can perform their operations. Vehicles parked on the street at the time the temporary signs are placed are documented, and that information is shared with Parking Compliance Officers. Only vehicles parked after the signs went up will be ticketed and towed to a compound at the vehicle owner's expense.

Vehicles that were parked prior to sign placement and still parked when work starts will be towed out of the way of snow plows to nearby locations. You can contact 311 to find out the location of your vehicle.

This technology helps us:

• Enforce parking restrictions across more of the city
• Improve compliance with restrictions
• Improve our snow clearing service

ALPR tickets will be mailed rather than put on windshields. Enforcement officers will continue to hand-deliver tickets when necessary.

Anyone who believes their vehicle may have been towed should contact 311 for help locating it.

Android phones can sometimes leave old application settings files around when you uninstall then reinstall the Know Your Zone app. You can solve this issue by doing the following:

1. Open Settings
2. Select Apps or Applications
3. Select the Know Your Zone App
4. Tap "Storage & Cache"
5. Select "Clear Storage" or "Clear Data"
6. When asked to confirm or "Delete app data?", click Delete
7. Reopen the Know Your Zone app.

The City developed the Know Your Zone app for mobile devices, available in French & English, to provide residents with an easy to access, up-to-date snow zone information when a residential parking ban is declared.

By using the GPS capabilities of your mobile device, combined with either the app's interactive mapping feature or by entering an address, you can get more information about:

• The winter related parking bans in effect
• The designated snow zone associated with an address
• The residential snow clearing schedule based on the snow zone
• The snow clearing activities underway on a colour coded map

You can also sign up for push notifications through the app to notify you when a residential parking ban is in effect for addresses saved as favourites.

This means the street is not a residential street, and the Residential Parking Ban doesn't apply.

Your street might be a Priority 1 (P1) - regional streets or major routes, or Priority 2 (P2) - bus routes or collector streets, or your street may be in a rural area where parking bans are not required.

P1 and P2 routes are subject to the Annual Winter Route Parking Ban - check for Winter route signs.

The Annual Winter Route Parking Ban can take effect (upon declaration) at any point from November to April, as operationally required and dictated by weather forecasts. While in effect, vehicles may not be parked on a designated Winter Route between 2a.m. and 7 a.m. daily, until such time that the ban is lifted. A seven-day notification is required upon declaration of the ban in order to announce the ban start date; this notification is not required to end the ban.

Vehicles parked in violation of the Annual Winter Route Parking Ban may receive a ticket and may be towed to the towing company's compound.

Learn more about parking ban descriptions.

There are several ways you can access information without the app by:

• Searching an address online
• Subscribing to email notifications
• Viewing the snow clearing status map

There is only one official City of Winnipeg Know Your Zone app and it will state this when you view the information in the app store.

When you search for an address and get a result screen, tapping the star at the top will add that address to your list of favourites.

Swiping left on the favourite address will give you the option to delete it from the list.

By setting an address as a favourite, you will automatically receive a notification for that address prior to plowing in that zone as long as you have Location Services turned on for the app.

For the GPS mapping feature to function correctly, the app's Location Services must be activated on your mobile device. If problems persist, compare the accuracy of the GPS provided by your mobile device by testing it with Google Maps compared to the app.

Please note that GPS works best for most mobile devices when outside, so it's a good idea to test it outside as well to check the accuracy of the GPS on your mobile device, compared to using it indoors. Sometimes the GPS on your mobile device needs to be reset by going outside if Location Services hasn't been used in a while.

The top portion of the results screen shows the CURRENT status of the address. The bottom portion of the results screen shows UPCOMING parking restrictions for the address, typically in the next 12 to 24 hours.

In the current version of the app, map layers are not saved when changing between tabs.

The app is compatible with iPhone/iPad devices with operating systems iOS 11 or newer, and Android phones and tablets 5.1 (API level 22) or newer.

In order to download the free Know Your Zone app, you must have an Apple ID account.

For information on how to get an Apple ID, please visit:

• Apple ID Frequently Asked Questions
• Create or use your Apple ID without a payment method

There are no plans to develop a version of the app for Blackberry and Windows Mobile.