Municipal Snow Removal in Winnipeg

We clear each street differently because not all of them are the same. Effective municipal snow clearing is part of a sequenced operation. The way that sequence is managed determines how soon a city can return to normal after a winter storm. Here’s how we do it:

• Priority Routes First: Main routes, arterial roads and emergency access corridors are the first routes we clear. These roads get the most traffic and are essential for emergency response vehicles. Clearing them early in a storm event reduces the risk across the entire municipality.
• Parking Bans and Winter Routes: When the City of Winnipeg declares a parking ban, significant snow clearing is underway on designated winter routes. We coordinate our operations accordingly to ensure priority clearing on affected streets as soon as the ban begins. It lets our team work efficiently without vehicles obstructing access so critical winter routes are cleared to standards before bans are lifted.
• Secondary and Residential Streets: Once priority routes are clear and maintained, our crews move to secondary and residential streets. During a multi-day storm, this sequencing repeats as snow accumulates while maintaining priority routes throughout.
• Windrow Removal and Sidewalk Clearing: Plowing pushes snow to the edges of the road and windrow removal follows to keep intersections, access points and pedestrian crossings accessible. Sidewalk clearing follows a similar pattern by prioritizing high-traffic pedestrian areas, transit stops and routes to schools and community facilities.
• Ice Control and Sanding: Sand and ice control materials are applied to treated surfaces throughout the event, not only at the end. On high-risk areas such as hills, intersections and pedestrian crossings, ice control is a continuous effort whether there’s still active snowfall or not.
• Multi-Day Storm Management: When a storm spans multiple days, our crews work in shifts to continue maintaining coverage. Equipment is rotated, routes are reassessed based on accumulation, while priority areas are re-cleared as needed. Snow hauling is arranged when perimeter stacking reaches capacity to keep roads and lots functional for the full duration of the event.
• Post-Storm Assessment: Following a storm event, we do a full site review. It’s an opportunity to identify areas that need more attention, document completed work and confirm all contracted areas meet the required clearing standard before closing out the event.