City of Waterloo extends Significant Weather Event; full snow cleanup could last two weeks or more

UPDATE: the Significant Weather Event and associated snow event/parking ban have been extended until further notice.

The City of Waterloo’s significant weather event and snow event/parking ban has been further extended until 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, February 19.

Snow clearing continues to be an around-the-clock operation for city crews, on both streets and sidewalks. The volume of snow received has created challenges with space throughout the City’s road and active transportation network. Attention is beginning to turn from plowing to loading/hauling snow away, but it will take time to clear the snow from all impacted areas. Teams will be prioritizing school zones, intersections, and narrow streets among other locations. It will take time before all the snow can be removed and sent to the City’s snow storage.

“We’ve had record snowfall in just a few days,” says Bob Henderson, Director of Transportation Services. “Crews have been working around the clock through the holiday weekend and will continue to do so until the network is fully addressed. With temperatures where they are, the snow isn’t going anywhere unless we haul it away. Clearing and hauling snow is labour intensive, and if we get additional snow, we’ll be forced to pause those operations to clear roads again.”

Snow clearing crews are also working hard to address city-maintained sidewalks and intersection crossings but are facing similar challenges with the amount of snow and limited space. We thank everyone for their patience and encourage all drivers and pedestrians to be extra cautious as teams work through these additional operations.

Vehicles should remain off the streets or risk being ticketed and towed. Residents are encouraged to subscribe to the City’s newsfeed or follow the City on Twitter/X or Facebook to determine if a parking ban is still in effect and to receive updates. If individuals suspect their car has been towed through this program, they should call the Waterloo Regional Police dispatch number at 519-570-9777 to find their car’s location.

For more information about the City’s snow clearing priorities for roads and sidewalks and some tips for driving/parking when plows are active, visit www.waterloo.ca/snow