Residential snow removal in Ajax is mostly about the parts of winter the Town does not handle for you. Town plows clear the roads, but the row of snow they leave at the end of your driveway and the sidewalk in front of your house are the homeowner's job. Michael Durham Landscaping plows Ajax driveways and shovels walkways on fixed-price seasonal contracts, with our crew dispatched automatically once 2 inches of snow has fallen.
What a Residential Snow Contract Covers
Our residential contracts in Ajax run from November 1 to April 15 and include:
- Driveway plowing every time accumulation reaches 2 inches.
- Walkway, sidewalk and porch shovelling, including the path to your front entrance.
- Overnight storms. We dispatch on accumulation, not the clock, so a 3 a.m. snowfall is handled before you leave for work.
- One fixed price for the season, agreed before winter starts.
Residential contracts cover plowing and shovelling only; salting is part of our commercial service. Steps to a side door, a patio or a longer path can be added to your plan. See our residential snow removal page for the full details.
What Ajax Expects from Homeowners
The sidewalk: cleared within 24 hours
The Town of Ajax requires residents to clear snow and ice from the sidewalk around their home within 24 hours of a snowfall or ice forming. Fines for missing that deadline are set in the Town's User Fees By-law and are added automatically to your property taxes. When you get a quote, ask whether the public sidewalk in front of your house is part of the plan, so the 24-hour rule is never a worry.
The windrow: yours to clear
A windrow is the ridge of snow a road plow leaves across the bottom of your driveway. The Town is clear that windrow clearing is the homeowner's responsibility. Its plows push snow from the road toward the right-hand curb, and lifting the blade at each driveway would leave snow on the road, so windrows cannot be avoided. Driveways near intersections and on bends usually get a bigger windrow, because more road surface is being cleared there.
The Town looked at offering windrow clearing in 2019 and reported real limits: Ajax has more than 30,000 residential driveways, the equipment clears only about 80% of a driveway's width, and cars parked on the street block the plow.
Street parking during a storm
During a winter weather event, Ajax automatically revokes on-street parking permits, and parking on the street is prohibited while plowing and salting are under way. Cars can be ticketed or towed. Keeping your car in the driveway also lets our crew clear it edge to edge.
Help for Ajax Seniors and Residents with Disabilities
The Town of Ajax runs its own Snow Removal Program for qualified residents: people 65 or older with no able-bodied person under 65 living at the address, or residents who cannot do the work because of a physical disability confirmed by a doctor's note. The program covers the windrow, the driveway, the walkway to the front door and the municipal sidewalk. Applications go to the Town's Operations & Environmental Services department, and the Town sets the program's fee. If you do not qualify, or want clearing at a 2-inch trigger on your own schedule, a private seasonal contract fills the gap.
How the Town Plows Ajax Streets
The Town maintains more than 400 km of roads and 150 km of sidewalks. Primary roads are cleared first: the routes to Regional Roads, schools, community centres and industrial and commercial areas. Secondary roads such as Ravenscroft, Williamson, Burcher, Monarch and Clover Ridge come next, and residential streets after that. In a long storm, crews may return to primary and secondary roads before finishing side streets, so a residential street can wait a while for its plow. That is one reason many Ajax homeowners prefer their own driveway cleared on a set trigger.
Common Questions
Do I have to clear the windrow at the end of my driveway in Ajax?
Yes. The Town of Ajax states that windrow clearing is the homeowner's responsibility. Its plows cannot avoid leaving a windrow without leaving snow on the road.
How quickly do I have to clear my sidewalk in Ajax?
Within 24 hours of a snowfall or ice forming. Fines under the Town's User Fees By-law are applied automatically to your property taxes.
When does your crew come to my Ajax home?
As soon as 2 inches of snow has accumulated, day or night, from November 1 to April 15. You do not need to call.
Do you salt residential driveways and walkways?
No. Residential contracts cover plowing and shovelling only. Salt or calcium chloride is part of our commercial contracts.
Book Your Ajax Snow Contract Early
We sign seasonal contracts in September and October so routes are set before the first snowfall. Contact us for a free quote, or read our guide to choosing a snow removal contractor in Durham Region. For landscaping projects in town, see landscaping in Ajax.
Sources: Town of Ajax, Winter Roads and Maintenance; Town of Ajax, Snow Tips and Reminders; Town of Ajax, Fees and Charges By-law 67-2025.