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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 County hamlets and designated residential areas, which include:

  • Hamlet of Clairmont, from 100 Ave to 116 Ave
  • Subdivisions of Whispering Ridge & Westlake Village in the Hamlet of Clairmont
  • Subdivision of Wedgewood
  • Subdivisions of Maple Ridge & Taylor Estates
  • Hamlet of Hythe
  • Hamlet of La Glace

The map below shows each snow removal area (outlined in black) and notes any current snow removal parking bans (outlined in red).

 Parking Ban Legend

 

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.

View the map above to stay informed about the status of any current parking bans in these four areas. Snow removal activity and temporary parking bans will also be announced on our social media channels and through local media.

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 Public Works 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:

  • deposit snow, ice and other material onto roadways, right-of-ways, ditches or property other than your own.
  • conduct any form of work or maintenance on any County road, road right-of-way, or ditch without permission from the County.

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:

  • increased traffic and safety hazards by making roads uneven and unpassable.
  • slowing down the County's snow removal process.
  • increased risk of damaging equipment during back blading of ditches.
  • potentially damaging roads and road maintenance equipment.
  • blocking or damaging culverts during freeze and thaw cycles, which can lead to higher risks of flooding during the spring.
  • causing inconveniences for other property owners, residents and motorists.

The failure to comply with the conditions in Bylaw 3024 and the Highways Development and Protection Act may result in the County issuing:

  • a fine of $100.
  • an order to clean up the snow and ice pushed on the road.
  • an additional $200 fine for failure to clean up debris on the road.
  • a bill for the time and resources spent to cleanup or repair damages caused to roadways, ditches, equipment and other infrastructure.

Report snow or ice on a County-roadway.

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.

General Traffic Bylaw