Edmonton launches new season of snow and ice control operations
October 30, 2026

In response to the early snowfall we received this month, crews proactively adjusted their schedules ahead of the standard operational timeline. Snow and Ice crews have been working a 24-hour schedule since Tuesday afternoon and will transition to standard winter shift rotations this weekend to ensure residents can enjoy a safe and liveable winter city.

“Ensuring safe, reliable, and accessible winter travel is at the core of our snow and ice control operations,” said Caitlin Zerebeski, Branch Manager, Parks and Roads Services. “We have made off-season adjustments to improve our routing and enhance accessibility. Whenever snow falls, crews will be out to ensure Edmontonians can safely move throughout the mobility network.”

A recent update to the SNIC policy (C409L) added accessibility as a core pillar. The update formalizes the City’s commitment to keeping the transportation network accessible for all users.

Other program enhancements being implemented this winter include:
  • Fleet optimization
  • Multilingual messaging to inform residents about SNIC operations 
  • Increased communication with community leagues, school boards and business improvement areas to reach more groups affected by operations.
Snow clearing prioritization and service levels
The City prioritizes clearing efforts across major roadways, transit routes and active pathways. During snow events, residents can check edmonton.ca/SafeTravels and the City's social media channels for operational updates. While service levels remain unchanged from last year, scheduling adjustments and fleet optimization will improve service and reduce equipment downtime.

The City uses a systematic approach to prioritize snow and ice clearing across Edmonton, starting with major roads, active pathways and facilities. Priorities are determined by a variety of factors, including safety, traffic speed and traffic volume. This season, service level titles have been updated to more clearly identify each priority category.

The roadway clearing priorities, as outlined in the Snow and Ice Control procedures, are:
  • Essential Roads (Priority 1): Main freeways, major arterial roadways and main business districts are targeted to be cleared to bare pavement within one day after a snow event ends.
  • Arterial and Collector Roads (Priority 2): Secondary arterial roads, collector roadways, transit routes and Park and Ride access roads are targeted to be cleared within five days after a snow event ends.
  • Industrial Routes (Priority 3): Industrial and rural roads are addressed within six days after a snow event ends.
  • Local/Residential Roads (Priority 4): Residential roads are targeted to be cleared within 14 days once a Residential (Phase 2) parking ban has been activated. Residential parking bans are declared as needed, based on snow accumulation. They do not occur after every snow event.
The service levels for active pathways, are:
  • Core Facilities and Pathways (Priority 1): City facility pathways, transit centres, LRT stations, wheelchair ramps and the Winter Priority Bike Loop are targeted to be completed within one day after a snow event ends.
  • Machine City-Maintained Pathways and Transit Access (Priority 2): City-maintained sidewalks, shared-use pathways, parking lots and bridge decks are targeted to be completed within three days after a snow event ends.
  • Manual City-Maintained Pathways and Transit Access (Priority 3): Manually cleared areas, such as neighbourhood breezeways, public benches and fire hydrants, are targeted to be completed within 14 days after a snow event ends.
  • Community Support (Priority 4): Community sandboxes and safe mobility devices are addressed as resources allow.
Service levels start when the snow stops and provide residents with clear expectations for when clearing will be completed. They are also used to measure service performance. If a second snow event occurs before all service levels are completed for the initial snowfall, service levels reset. This means major roads and active pathways will once again be cleared first before crews proceed to other priority levels.

Roadways and Active Pathways maps
The Roadways Snow Clearing Map displays the status and service level for 12,000 km of roadways and allows residents to see the locations of City-operated plows. The map is dynamic, displaying clearing priorities when it is not snowing and switching to a status display during an active snow event. When a Residential (Phase 2) parking ban is in effect, the map also displays the neighbourhood clearing schedule.

The Active Pathways Snow Clearing Map displays clearing priorities, including the critical Winter Priority Loop, to help maintain essential connections for pedestrians and cyclists. This initiative highlights the City's commitment to year-round active lifestyles by keeping pathways accessible and safe by providing residents with up-to-date information for winter navigation. During a snow event, the map updates to display the clearing status of active pathways.

Parking bans
The primary benefit of a parking ban is that removing parked vehicles allows crews to clear roads more effectively. Not every snow event will lead to a parking ban. Parking bans are implemented in two distinct phases.

Major Roadways (Phase 1) Parking Ban
This applies to major routes and transit corridors, including arterial roads, collector streets, bus routes and business improvement areas. These areas are marked by white “Seasonal No Parking” signs. This parking ban is active 24 hours a day and typically lasts four to five days, depending on conditions.

Residential (Phase 2) Parking Ban
This applies to residential and industrial roadways. While citywide residential clearing may take up to 14 days, the parking ban is only active in any single neighbourhood for approximately 72 hours, depending on conditions. Residents can refer to the Roadways Snow Clearing Map, temporary signage at main neighbourhood entrances or receive Service Notifications (additional information below) to find out when a parking ban is scheduled in their neighbourhood.

Vehicles left on roadways during a parking ban may be subject to a $250 fine. During last season’s parking bans, enforcement officers issued 5,516 tickets and 2,408 warnings. Additional details about each type of parking ban can be found at edmonton.ca/SafeTravels.

“Our teams are fully prepared to deliver consistent, reliable snow and ice control to keep Edmonton moving safely this winter,” said Valerie Dacyk, General Supervisor, Infrastructure Field Operations. “We ask residents to support our efforts by staying informed through our live clearing maps, obeying parking bans and giving our plow crews the space they need to work safely and efficiently.”

The City provides free Service Notifications to inform residents about parking bans in their area. Users can register up to five addresses to receive notifications when clearing is scheduled and completed at each location. Parking ban announcements will also be shared through public channels, including local media and social media platforms.  

Don’t crowd the plow
To protect crew safety and maintain efficient clearing operations, drivers should avoid passing snowplows when visibility is poor, maintain a safe distance and expect temporary lane restrictions.

Sidewalk clearing responsibilities
Keeping streets and sidewalks safe is a collective effort. The City encourages Edmontonians to keep sidewalks clear of snow and move vehicles during declared parking bans, allowing City crews to clear roadways as effectively and efficiently as possible.

Failing to clear sidewalks can result in a $100 fine, plus additional cleanup costs incurred by the City. Last season, enforcement officers issued 2,704 citations and 10,852 warnings for uncleared snow and ice on sidewalks.

"We thank Edmontonians for being good neighbours by clearing their sidewalks,” said Carrie Holstead, Superintendent, General Bylaw Enforcement. “This helps everyone to get around safely. For those that don’t comply with the Bylaw, we sometimes need to issue fines or clear sidewalks at a property owner's expense."

Community sandboxes
Edmontonians can access free sand at 100 locations throughout the city, including 11 large central sand bins, to help make sidewalks and walkways safer while clearing snow and ice down to the pavement. Sandbox locations can be found at edmonton.ca/CommunitySandboxes.

Snow storage upgrades
Ongoing enhancements to the City’s snow storage facilities are improving operational efficiency, site drainage and environmental sustainability. Following recent improvements, the Poundmaker Snow Storage Site (184 Street and 107 Avenue) will reopen this season. The Ellerslie Snow Storage Site (156 Street and Ellerslie Road) will be closed this season as upgrades begin. Businesses and contractors should adjust their haul routes to use the Horsehills, Poundmaker or 17th Street facilities. Additional details and updates are available at edmonton.ca/SnowStorageUpgrades.

City of Edmonton

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