Frequently Asked Questions

All rural mailboxes must meet Canada Post’s safety criteria so the Corporation can ensure the safety of employees, customers, and  motorists.

A rural mailbox should be located along the right hand side of the road in the direction that the delivery agent travels.

Mailboxes must be placed where the delivery agent can safely deliver the mail through the passenger window without getting out of the  vehicle.

It is the responsibility of mailbox owners to ensure that the location for the rural mailbox is free of underground obstructions such as power, gas and cable lines, water mains, etc. Please call your local utility locator service before you dig.

Delivery vehicles must have sufficient clearance to drive up to the mailbox and then continue in a forward direction while merging back into traffic.

Rural mailboxes should never be placed in lane ways or driveways.

The area in front of a rural mailbox must be kept clear of snow and ice to ensure uninterrupted delivery of letters and parcels.

Delivery agents require at least one car length on both sides of a rural mailbox to pull over safely, deliver the mail then safely merge back into traffic.

Bids and Tenders

Winter snow clearing, ice control, and snow removal operations for Municipal roads and sidewalks are carried out in accordance with provincial Minimum Maintenance Standards (O. Reg. 366/18).

The Municipality aims to plow all roads at least once every 24 hours if required, however delays will occur during significant weather events, freezing rain, or heavy snow.

West Grey is divided into 17 plow routes that cover the more than 700 km of roads. There are 11 trucks that can plow and spread a sand/salt mixture, and six graders that push an ice blade gravel roads.

Snow plow operators generally start their routes at 7 a.m. unless there is significant snowfall or poor visibility.

Roads are categorized into classes that are based on traffic volumes and posted speed - Class 1, 2 and 3 are priority roads and include arterial roads and some secondary collectors; Class 4, 5 and 6 are local urban streets, rural side roads and cul-de-sacs and have less priority. 

Priority roads carry higher volumes of traffic and are most easily identified by main roads or secondary collector roads. These are the roads that people use to get to business areas and in and out of the municipality. The 'other' roads are primarily residential or secondary routes. These are systematically plowed after the 'priority' routes are completed.

Winter snow clearing, ice control, and snow removal operations for Municipal roads and sidewalks are carried out in accordance with provincial Minimum Maintenance Standards (O. Reg. 366/18).

West Grey's Winter Maintenance Standards Bylaw (102-2019) establishes a level of service prioritizes the clearing of roads before the clearing of sidewalks.

Cleaning around fire hydrants is a team effort in West Grey. Property owners are strongly encouraged to clear snow from fire hydrants on or around their property to ensure the West Grey Fire Services can quickly gain access in the event of a fire. 

If you have a fire hydrant on or near your property, please remove snow to and around the hydrant within 24-hours after the end of the snowfall.

Residents are also asked that they do not pile snow from their driveway or private property in such a way that covers fire hydrants.

Should a resident not be able to clear the snow, fire fighters or municipal staff will undertake the snow removal during the emergency.

Yes.

The Municipality's Winter Maintenance Policy (102-2019) states that parking is prohibited on any roadway between the hours of midnight and 7:00 a.m. during the period November 15 to April 15 annually.. Plow operators need clear roadways to complete their routes safely and efficiently.

Under the Highway Traffic Act, residents are not allowed to deposit snow on the roadway. When clearing snow, pile it on your property - do not shovel it onto the sidewalk, onto the road, or across the road. This practice is dangerous because it covers the traction control applied to the roadway, which may cause motorists to lose control when driving through the snow pile.

As winter approaches weather conditions are monitored regularly, traction control materials are stockpiled, equipment is prepared for winter maintenance, and staff review routes and undergo training to prepare for the first snowfall. The first significant snowfall can be as early as October or as late as December. 

Contact West Grey Police Service for any concerns relating to roads and highways.

24-Hour Dispatch: 519-371-6911
Administration: 519-369-3046

Section 181 of the Highway Traffic Act prohibits the depositing of snow and ice on a roadway without written permission from the Ministry or other road authority.

No.

The Municipality of West Grey’s bylaws do not regulate snow removal from one private property to another private property.

This would be considered a civil matter between both neighbouring properties and the Bylaw Enforcement Officer could not provide assistance in this matter.  

Yes.

Per Section 4.1.4 of the Noise Bylaw (55-2016), an exemption exists for the noise created by the operation of snow plowing or snow removal equipment or for the clearing of street or sidewalks. This applies to Municipal removal of snow on roads as well as private properties

It is very difficult for an operator to maneuver large equipment in a cul-de-sac in such a manner to clear all the snow. One of the primary purposes of a cul-de-sac is to provide storage room for excess snow during winter operations. Snow that is piled up in the centre of the cul-de-sac will be scheduled for removal based on the availability of manpower and equipment.

Parking on the street is prohibited between the hours of midnight and 7:00 a.m. from November 15 to April 15 every year.

The streets must be clear of parked cars to allow for adequate snow clearing operations. Parking on the street could result in unsafe conditions. Please plan ahead and make other arrangements if necessary.

A windrow is a pile of snow on the side of a road that was created by snow plowing equipment. Snow must be pushed to the side of the street to clear the roadway for traffic.

Lifting the blade of the snow plowing equipment in front of a home to reduce the windrow is not allowed. Snow plow equipment is put into operation to clear the snow off the roadway, and in order for this to happen the blade must stay in contact with the road surface at all times.

Sometimes it is necessary to make several passes with snow plowing equipment during a storm. At other times it will be necessary to push back the banks to allow room for more snow and to provide room for drainage during thaw cycles.

Each spring, staff proactively assess winter damage with an aim to remediate as required.

Sod damage can result from two factors:

• The roadway and/or sidewalk plow operator may have difficulty finding the sidewalk or the edge of the road under a blanket of snow, or
• The ground may not be frozen when the plows go by.

Any snow clearing damage on private property that is not within the road allowance will be assessed to determine if compensation will be provided to the property owner.

If your property has been damaged by Municipal snow clearing operations, please contact the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure via pwadmin@westgrey.com or 519-369-2200 ext. 225.

If your mailbox is damaged during snow removal, please contact Public Works at 519-369-2200 ext. 225 and provide your contact information.

Staff will inspect the damage to determine the cause. West Grey does not repair or replace mailboxes that are knocked over by snow or damaged from snow being discharged from the snow plow during snow removal.

When an inspection indicates that a bridge needs to be closed, it is imperative to act quickly in the interest of public safety. 

Closure information is communicated via the Municipal website and social media accounts, and Municipal 511.

Staff make every effort to provide as much notice as possible when a bridge is closed for safety reasons. A complete bridge closure is considered a last resort.

When a bridge is closed, Municipal staff notify emergency services (West Grey Police Services, West Grey Fire Services, and Grey County Paramedic Services) via email. 

Updates are also made to the internal mapping application that is shared with Emergency Medical Services so they can see which bridges are open vs closed.

There is also a public mapping application (Municipal 511) that is also updated with the bridge closure information.

When a bridge is closed, the Municipality will assess the extent of the damage in consultation with our engineers, to determine options for repair or replacement. 

Council will be provided an update on the options available, and a decision on next steps will be made by Council based on engineering reports, priority ranking, urgency, and budget resources.