BRAMPTON– As winter weather approaches, the City of Brampton has prepared its fleet of vehicles and equipment, and is introducing newly enhanced measures to help keep the community safe around the clock this season.
Expanding snow-clearing financial assistance
The City of Brampton is expanding its Financial Assistance Program to help seniors and people with disabilities with the costs of hiring someone to remove snow from sidewalks and driveways. Starting this year, people who rent homes can apply for the program. Qualifying applicants can receive a grant of up to $300 for non-corner lot properties or up to $400 for corner lot properties.
Eligible candidates can learn more and apply here: City of Brampton | Roads and Traffic | Snow Removal Financial Assistance.
Keeping streets safe and accessible during weather events
Parking on streets is not allowed and will be enforced during winter weather events. Vehicles must be moved to ensure plows, salters, and emergency vehicles can safely pass by.
Changes to Parking Penalties
Parked vehicles on roads hinder the City’s ability to efficiently plow and remove snow during winter storm events. The City of Brampton has amended its Administrative Monetary Penalty System (AMPS) By-Law 333-2013, to increase the set penalty for vehicles interfering with snow removal and/or winter maintenance:
- First Offence: $125
- Second Offence: $250
- Subsequent Offences: $500
Enhancing Towing
Currently, By-Law Enforcement Officers investigate vehicles interfering with snow removal, issue penalty notices, and, when necessary, arrange for the illegally parked vehicles to be towed. New for the 2023-24 winter season, the City will deploy staff to inspect roads ahead of the plowing operation, and, when necessary, arrange for the towing of illegally parked vehicles to improve towing enforcement activities.
Brampton’s Snow Plow Tracker
Residents can see what roads and sidewalks crews have cleared using the City’s Plow Tracker on www.brampton.ca/snow and on the 311 mobile app. Using this tool, residents can check snow maintenance progress, road priorities, and if a plow is near them so that they can move their vehicles off the road. Service requests can also be submitted.
Quick facts
Each year, the City provides winter snow removal and winter maintenance to more than:
- 4,120 lane kilometres of roads,
- 1,015 kilometres of sidewalk fronting city-owned properties,
- 2,556 transit stops,
- 217 kilometres of recreation trails,
- 191 school crossing locations, and
- 86 city facility parking lots.
During a winter weather event, crews begin plowing streets when there is five centimetres of accumulated snow. The City prioritizes clearing major roadways that see the largest amount of vehicle traffic to maximize road safety, then clears other local roads.
In case of emergency, residents are encouraged to be prepared to care for themselves or their families for at least 72 hours with a safety kit. With a dedicated team working diligently and new measures, Brampton is set to ensure that streets, sidewalks, transit stops, recreational trails, and school crossings remain accessible and safe when there is snow and ice.
Links
“The City of Brampton team has been working around the clock to ensure we are prepared to keep our City-owned roads, pathways, crosswalks, parking lots and recreational trails safe and accessible this winter season. We have a thoughtful and fulsome response plan in place to ensure that our City can continue to move safely this season, including emergency and transit vehicles. We know that winter preparedness is a collective effort and with your cooperation, we can make this season safer for all.” – Patrick Brown, Mayor of Brampton