Who Clears the Sidewalk? Snow Clearing Bylaw Rules in Milton, Mississauga and Oakville

Who clears the sidewalk in Milton, Mississauga and Oakville?

It depends on the local snow clearing bylaw. In Milton, homeowners must clear the sidewalk beside their property within 24 hours after the snow stops, and the Town plows school, transit and major pedestrian routes. In Mississauga, the City clears all sidewalks once 5 cm falls. In Oakville, the Town plows sidewalks too.

Every rule in the table comes from the municipality's own page or by-law, listed in the sources. Fees and dates are set each fall, so check before you rely on one.

What does Milton's snow removal bylaw require?

Milton's By-law 106-2019 requires the owner or occupant to remove snow and ice from the sidewalk beside their property within 24 hours after snow, rain or hail stops, to spread sand or salt when it gets slippery, and to keep snow off the road, the sidewalk and fire hydrants.

If nobody does it, the by-law lets the Town clear the sidewalk at the owner's expense and recover the cost like property taxes. Residents with a disability who have filed medical documentation with the Town are exempt.

On the road side, Milton aims to finish plowing all streets within 24 hours after a snowfall ends. Street parking is never allowed from 2 to 6 a.m., or during snowstorms and snow removal, and a forecast of 10 cm or more is the Town's usual trigger for suspending parking exemptions. Our Milton snow removal crews pile snow on your property, never on the road.

Does Mississauga clear sidewalks and driveway windrows?

Yes. Mississauga treats all sidewalks as part of its snow clearing service and plows them once 5 cm falls. Since the 2025/2026 season it also clears part of the windrow at the end of single, double and shared residential driveways, leaving an opening at least 3 metres wide after the final plow pass.

Secondary sidewalks, which cover most residential streets, are plowed and salted within 24 hours of the snow stopping for 5 to 15 cm, and within 36 hours for 15 to 30 cm. They are not cleared to bare pavement.

So if you searched for a windrow clearing program in Mississauga, the City now describes it as part of standard snow clearing rather than a separate sign-up. Your part is keeping cars, bins and nets away from the curb and the end of the driveway, because the City says blocked driveways and sidewalks will not be cleared. The driveway itself is still yours: our residential snow removal covers it (typical costs here), and we look after lawn care in Mississauga the rest of the year.

Can I push snow onto the road in Ontario?

Not in Milton or Mississauga, and Oakville tells residents not to. Milton's By-law 106-2019 bans depositing snow or ice on the travelled road or sidewalk, and Mississauga says shovelling snow onto the road violates its Highway Obstruction By-law. Each Ontario municipality sets its own rule, so check yours before you blow snow across the street.

Mississauga's Highway Obstruction By-law 0357-2010 counts depositing snow or ice on a highway, and moving snow from private property onto the parts of a highway used by people or vehicles, as obstruction. The City suggests piling snow on your lawn, storing it in the backyard or hiring a service that hauls it away. Oakville's January 2026 storm notice put it plainly: don't shovel snow from your driveway onto the road.

Hiring help does not change the rule, so confirm where snow gets piled in any seasonal snow removal contract before you sign.

How do windrow programs work in Milton and Oakville?

Both towns leave windrows to homeowners but run paid programs. Milton's costs $71 for 2026-27, serves residents 65+ or with disabilities who have no able-bodied person at home, and starts after more than 10 cm. Oakville's costs $215 with HST, is open to all residents with priority for seniors, and starts after more than 7.5 cm.

Both programs wait until the roads are done and can take 36 hours or more, so they suit people who do not need the car out first thing. Oakville's priority registration window closes October 15.

What are the overnight and winter parking rules?

All three ban street parking from 2 to 6 a.m. without a permit: year round in Milton and Mississauga, and November 15 to April 15 in Oakville. Storms tighten things: Milton suspends parking exemptions, Mississauga declares a citywide winter restriction with a $150 penalty, and Oakville can ticket any car that obstructs snow clearing.

Mississauga usually declares its citywide restriction after about 5 cm of snow and suspends temporary and extended permits while it lasts. Mississauga and Oakville both point out that parked cars slow the plows; Mississauga adds that they get in the way of windrow clearing.

What about fire hydrants and catch basins?

Keep a 1 metre (3 ft) circle around any fire hydrant on or beside your property clear of snow. Mississauga requires it of residents and businesses, Oakville asks for it, and Milton's by-law bans blocking hydrant access with snow. Oakville also asks residents to keep nearby catch basins clear so meltwater can drain.

Milton's and Mississauga's snow pages give no catch basin instructions, so check with the Town or City if a street drain floods. Our guide to rock salt damage explains how to use less salt near drains and lawns.

Who handles snow on condo and commercial sites?

Private parking lots, condo roads and plaza walkways are the property's responsibility, not the municipality's, and Mississauga's windrow service specifically excludes condominiums, commercial properties and homes on private roads. Property managers need a written plan and a contractor; our commercial snow removal checklist walks through one.

We plow commercial and condo sites across Halton and Peel; see commercial snow removal for how we scope one. In Oakville, we also look after lawn care in Oakville once the snow is gone.