Snow Clearing

Routine snow clearing takes place on the day after garbage collection when snow accumulation has met set standards. The work shall only be carried out if the accumulated snow pack is in excess of 6 centimeters or there are dangerous conditions present due to snow ridges around parked vehicles or ice conditions are present at intersections.

By-Law No.20-8705 states: “From November 1 to April 30 in each year Parking on Streets shall be limited for routine snow clearing. During this period no Person shall Park a Vehicle on any portion of a Street on the Business Day following residential garbage collection for that Street, until such time as the employees or contractors acting on behalf of the Municipality have completed snow clearing for the said Street.”

Parking in violation of the By-law is subject to a fine. Our city crews work as fast as possible to remove snow from the streets, but unfortunately, parked cars can get in our way.  If we have to tow some cars to make winter driving safe for everyone, we will, but we would rather not.  So please, to avoid having your car towed, you should not park on the street during snow clearing operations.

After a major storm event, with more than 10 cm of snowfall, or when more than 10 cm of snow accumulates, the City snow clearing efforts shall be done on a priority basis within 48 hours of the conclusion of the storm event. A map of priority streets for snow removal can be found above.

For storm related snow clearing on weekends and holidays, the City crews shall only be mobilized provided the total snowfall accumulation exceeds 20 centimeters. If the storm event was less than 20 cm of snowfall, the remaining streets and avenues in the City will be completed within the routine maintenance snow-clearing schedule. If the storm event was greater than 20 cm of precipitation, the remaining streets and avenues shall be completed within 96 hours of the start of the snow clearing operation.

Parking lots that are the responsibility of the City to maintain shall be cleared within 36 hours of the start of the snow clearing operation. Snow shall be hauled from the parking lots as time permits and after the other activities have been completed.

City crews work as fast as possible to remove snow from the streets, but parked cars can get in our way. To avoid having your car towed, please do not park on the street during snow clearing operations.

In the Event of a major snow storm, the Mayor may authorize a City wide parking ban to allow the streets to be cleaned. This ban would be in effect from 8:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m. and would last until all city streets have been cleared. Parking would not be allowed on any city street during this time. If a citywide parking ban is declared, it will be advertised on the radio, in the newspaper (if time permits), on the City’s website, facebook and twitter accounts, and a notification will be sent out via the city’s mobile app. There will also be signs placed around the city stating whether or not the ban is in effect. As well, you may call 204-857-PARK (204-857-7275) for a recorded message on the status of the ban. Several signs around the City display the status of the ban. You may also call 204-857-PARK for information regarding the ban.

Snow being blown, shoveled or pushed onto City Streets is not permitted.  All residents should adhere to City of Portage la Prairie Traffic By-Law No. 20-8705 which states: “It shall be an offence for any Person to remove from any Private Property, public property, Street, Boulevard or Sidewalk any snow or ice and deposit same on any Street, Boulevard, parking lot, public place, or Sidewalk in such a manner that could negatively impact drainage, or create a hazardous condition for either vehicular or Pedestrian traffic, or otherwise impede the snow removal efforts of the City or Manitoba Infrastructure and Transportation.”

Reminder to Business Owner/Operators. By-Law No. 20-8705 states: “before 10:00 hours each day, following every fall of snow, hail or rain which shall have frozen on the Sidewalk, or after a fall of snow or ice off any building, cause the same to be removed entirely off the Sidewalk fronting or abutting the premises and in the event the ice or snow shall be so frozen that removal would damage the Sidewalks, every such Person shall strew the Sidewalk with salt, sand or other like substances.”

To ensure improved accessibility along Saskatchewan Avenue we need your support. Businesses that have new concrete sidewalks at their storefronts will be expected to clear that frontage to the same standard as our downtown merchants. With your cooperation, cleared sidewalks will ensure improved access for your customers and safer walking for the public at large.

Traffic By-law 20-8705 states that businesses along Saskatchewan Avenue will:

• remove snow and ice from the sidewalk fronting their business by 10:00 a.m. each day
• pile snow from the sidewalk on the boulevard outside of the concrete area (see examples below)
• not push snow into roadways, bike lanes, or parking lanes

With respect to Saskatchewan Avenue, we consider the sidewalk to be the concrete portion of the boulevard fronting your business. The City will be responsible for clearing the asphalt bike paths.

If you have questions about where to store snow or how this will impact your individual frontage please contact the Superintendent of Public Works, at (204) 239-8352.

Example 1

Example 2

Example 3

SNOW, ICE OR DIRT – BUSINESS PREMISES

Every occupant, and in case there is no occupant, the owner or Person having charge or care of every business premises (hereinafter in this clause called the premises) fronting or abutting on any Street or public place within the City shall:

1. before 10:00 hours each day, following every fall of snow, hail or rain which shall have frozen on the Sidewalk, or after a fall of snow or ice off any building, cause the same to be removed entirely off the Sidewalk fronting or abutting the premises and in the event the ice or snow shall be so frozen that removal would damage the Sidewalks, every such Person shall strew the Sidewalk with salt, sand or other like substances.
2. before 10:00 hours each day, remove from the Sidewalk fronting or abutting the premises all dirt and other obstructions.
3. if said snow, ice, dirt or other obstruction has not been removed as set out in subsections a) and b), the Manager of Public Works of the City of Portage la Prairie may cause such ice, dirt or obstruction to be removed at the expense of the owner in default and shall file with the Director of Finance of the City of Portage la Prairie, at the end of each month, a statement showing the sums expended by the City for such work and the Director of Finance shall thereupon cause the sums so expended to be charged against each respective lot or parcel of land on the tax roll next prepared thereafter, and the same may be recovered by the City in the same manner as other municipal taxes.

SNOW OR ICE – ALL PROPERTIES

1. It shall be an offence for any Person to remove from any Private Property, public property, Street, Boulevard or Sidewalk any snow or ice and deposit same on any Street, Boulevard, parking lot, public place, or Sidewalk in such a manner that could negatively impact drainage, or create a hazardous condition for either vehicular or Pedestrian traffic, or otherwise impede the snow removal efforts of the City or Manitoba Infrastructure and Transportation. [AM by By-Law 10-8474 – Res #73/10]
2. Subsection a) shall not apply to the City, the Department of Highways, their agents or employees who are actively engaged in snow removal from Streets, Boulevards or Sidewalks in the course of their employment or fulfillment of contract.
3. Any Person occupying a property where a building abuts the property line adjacent to a Street in such a manner that snow cannot be cleared onto the property may pile the snow at the Curb line of the Street in such a manner that both vehicular and Pedestrian traffic can pass only if a hazardous condition is not created when snow is piled in this manner.