Snow Removal
Visit www.countygp.ab.ca/alerts to view Snow Removal Advisories and maps and subscribe to Voyent Alert for the latest on residential snow removal in the County.
Subscribe to Voyent Alert for the latest on residential snow removal in the County. Receive notifications on progress and temporary parking restrictions in some County hamlets and residential neighbourhoods via the Voyent Alert app, or by email, text, or landline phone (text-to-voice).
Dedicated snow removal crews clear and maintain roughly 3,700 kilometres of paved and gravel roads and paved trails during the winter season.
After a snowfall event, crews follow a priority system for clearing to manage snow and ice control on winter roads.
- High-volume and high-speed roads (also known as arterial or hard-surfaced roads) are cleared first, once 8 cm of snow has collected. A reasonable effort will be made to ensure these roads are cleared within 3 business days.
- Gravel roads are cleared once 15 cm of snow has collected. A reasonable effort will be made to ensure these roads are cleared within 5 business days.
- Hamlets and residential subdivisions (subdivisions with a concrete curb and gutter) are cleared by a dedicated crew once 15 cm of snow has collected. Within these areas, high-volume (main) roads and school zones are priority and a reasonable effort will be made to ensure these roads are cleared within a 12 day cycle.
Regardless of road type, multiple snowfalls in a short period of time, or frigid temperatures, may affect this cycle. The County may suspend winter road maintenance operations based on conditions, including when temperatures dip to -35 degrees Celsius. Crews will aim to avoid leaving snow across driveways and entrances as much as possible at residential properties that appear occupied.
What about large snowfall events?
Crews aim to clear all rural roads within five days of significant snowfall, and hamlets and residential subdivisions within 12 days. Multiple snowfalls in a short period of time, or frigid temperatures, may affect this cycle. Crews work as efficiently as possible.
For more information, read our Winter Road Maintenance Policy.
Snow Removal in Residential Areas
Specific crews are dedicated to snow removal in the following County hamlets and designated residential areas. Click the links for maps of the areas.
- Hamlet of Clairmont, from 100 Avenue to 116 Avenue
- Whispering Ridge & Westlake Village subdivisions
- Wedgewood
- Sections of Maple Ridge & Taylor Estates subdivisions
- Hamlet of Hythe
- Hamlet of La Glace
How Residential Snow Removal Works |
When snowfall starts or is forecast to begin shortly, temporary parking bans, effective between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., will be announced 24 hours before crews begin snow removal activities in the area. Once snow removal is complete in the area, parking on roadways will be permitted again. |
How do I know that there's a parking ban in effect for my neighbourhood? |
There are “No Parking on Roadways Snow Removal” signs at all the entrances to the areas listed above. When the signs are up, no parking on roadways is permitted in the area between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Once snow removal is complete in the area, the signs will be turned around. Subscribe to Voyent Alert for the latest on residential snow removal in the County. Receive notifications on progress and temporary parking restrictions in some County hamlets and residential neighbourhoods via the Voyent Alert app, or by email, text, or landline phone (text-to-voice). During the winter season, be sure to look for the snow removal signs when entering these areas. If a parking ban is in place in an area, vehicles parked on roadways may be ticketed and/or towed in accordance with our General Traffic Bylaw. |
Why aren’t neighbourhoods like Carriage Lane, Goldenrod Estates, etc. included? |
Temporary parking restrictions are effective in areas where there is a concrete curb and gutter, and street parking. Snow removal in rural areas, including in the County subdivisions that have ditches along the road like Carriage Lane and Goldenrod Estates are on a separate schedule. For snow clearing updates about those areas, contact Transportation and Utilities at 780-532-7393. |
Keep Snow and Ice Off Roadways |
Residents and property owners are advised to keep the snow and ice they clear from their driveways, sidewalks and property on their property. Under the County's General Traffic Bylaw and the Provincial Highways Development and Protection Act, it is illegal to:
Under the County's Community Standards Bylaw, residents are required to clear snow from their sidewalks. Pushing snow and ice onto County roadways, ditches, right-of-ways, and property other than your own results in:
The failure to comply with the conditions in Bylaw 3024 and the Highways Development and Protection Act may result in the County issuing:
|
Senior and Special Needs Snow Removal |
For residents aged 65 and older, or individuals with special needs, clearing a private driveway can be difficult. The Senior and Special Needs Snow Removal Program supports more than 400 residents by clearing their driveways after a snowfall, following the clearing of main County roads. Seniors who want to join the program can fill out the online form or contact Public Works at 780-532-7393. Residents with special needs may apply by contacting FCSS at 780-567-5584.
Please note: The County's priority is clearing County roadways. Once County roadways are cleared, driveways will begin getting cleared unless another snowfall event occurs. Plow trucks and graders do not clear driveways by request. While every effort is made to clear all roads as quickly as possible, rural residents must have their own emergency plan in place for getting where they need to go if roads become impassable in extreme weather. This includes having access to a capable 4x4 vehicle should travel be required for work or medical reasons. |
Snow Removal on Provincial Highways |
All primary and secondary highways are the responsibility of, and maintained by, Alberta Transportation. If you have questions or concerns about maintenance of these roads, please contact Alberta Transportation at 780-538-5310. For updated highway conditions and reports, please call 5-1-1 or visit 511 Alberta. |