The most useful snow removal tips come down to four habits: clear snow early and often while it is still light, push it instead of lifting it, scrape the pavement before you reach for ice melt, and match the ice melt to the temperature. Rock salt stops being practical at about -9°C, so on colder days you need a different product or sand for traction. For businesses, add a plan agreed before winter and a written record of every visit.
Below are the tips for homeowners first, then a separate checklist for property managers, with a source behind each one. For your town's sidewalk deadlines and parking bans, see our guide to snow clearing rules in Durham Region.
Snow Removal Tips for Homeowners
Shovel early and often
The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) advises shovelling early and often where you can, because fresh dry snow is lighter and easier to move than wet, packed or partly melted snow. Going out during a long storm, rather than once at the end, keeps each session shorter.
Treat shovelling as hard exercise
CCOHS describes snow shovelling as a strenuous activity, comparable to weightlifting while walking on slippery, uneven ground. It works out the numbers: a 5 kg shovelful every 5 seconds adds up to about 1,000 kg of snow in 15 minutes. That effort is hard on the heart and back.
The Heart and Stroke Foundation says shovelling can strain your cardiovascular system, especially if you have been diagnosed with heart disease, and suggests asking a family member, friend or neighbour for help when you need it. CCOHS adds that, as with any exercise, you should talk to your doctor first.
Use safe technique
Both organizations give the same core advice:
- Warm up first. CCOHS recommends flexing and stretching to loosen your muscles, and Heart and Stroke notes that cold weather calls for a longer warm-up.
- Push, do not lift. CCOHS says to push snow rather than lift it where you can.
- Lift light loads with your legs. If you must throw snow, take only what you can lift easily, keep the shovel close to your body and bend your legs, not your back.
- Move your feet, not your spine. Turn your feet toward where the snow is going. Do not twist at the waist or throw snow over your shoulder.
- Take breaks. CCOHS suggests frequent breaks with warm, non-alcoholic drinks. Heart and Stroke suggests switching hands and sides to rest working muscles.
Pick a real snow shovel
CCOHS lists the features that matter: a lightweight but sturdy shovel of about 1.5 kg, a handle that reaches your chest so you bend less, and a bent shaft, which may be easier on your lower back. For lifting and throwing, it recommends a smaller blade of 25 to 35 cm, because a large push-style blade can tempt you to lift too much weight.
Use a snow blower safely
A snow blower is less strenuous, but CCOHS notes it is not risk free and cannot remove ice under the snow. Its key rules:
- Never put your hands or feet in the chute or near the blades. Use a stick or small tool to clear clogs, after shutting off the machine and letting all moving parts stop. CCOHS notes that fingers have been amputated when a blade rotated unexpectedly.
- Start a gas model outside, never in a garage or shed, because carbon monoxide can build up.
- Refuel only outdoors, with the engine off and cool.
Clear around your gas meter and vents
Enbridge Gas warns that snow or ice on a gas meter or appliance vents can affect gas pressure, damage piping and block vents, which can let carbon monoxide into your home. After every storm, clear them gently with a broom or soft brush. Never use a shovel, a blower or anything sharp on the meter, and never kick it. If the meter is encased in ice, call Enbridge rather than trying to break or melt it yourself.
Pile snow in the right place
Keep snow on your own property. The City of Pickering asks residents not to push snow back onto the sidewalk or street, to clear catch basins so meltwater can drain instead of flooding and refreezing, and to place snow on the downstream (right) side of the driveway so the next plow pass leaves a smaller windrow. Each town has its own rules on hydrants, windrows and sidewalks, all compiled in our snow clearing rules guide. Rules change, so confirm with your municipality.
Ice Melt: What Works at What Temperature
Ice melt works by lowering the freezing point of water. Every product has a lowest practical temperature, and below it, adding more does not help. These are the figures from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's stormwater manual, converted to Celsius:
| Product | Lowest practical pavement temperature | Keep in mind |
|---|---|---|
| Rock salt (sodium chloride) | About -9°C (15°F) | Corrodes metal; spray and runoff harm plants |
| Magnesium chloride | About -23°C (-10°F) | Corrosive; highest concrete scaling risk of the three |
| Calcium chloride | About -29°C (-20°F) | Most effective in deep cold; corrosive |
| Sand | Never melts | Traction only |
Closer to home, the City of Pickering says salt is most effective when the road temperature is between 0°C and -10°C. Note that this is pavement temperature, which the manual points out is different from air temperature.
Use less, and use it well
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's smart salting advice applies anywhere:
- Shovel and scrape first. The more snow and ice you remove, the less salt you need.
- Measure. About 12 ounces of salt, roughly one coffee mug, treats a 20 foot driveway or about 1,000 square feet of sidewalk. More does not mean safer.
- Switch to sand when it is too cold. Sand gives traction but does not melt ice.
- Sweep up leftovers. Salt left on dry pavement is doing nothing and will wash into storm drains. Sweep it up and reuse it.
There is a local reason to be careful too. Environment and Climate Change Canada's five-year scientific assessment found that, in sufficient concentrations, road salts pose a risk to plants, animals and the aquatic environment. Salt spray and salty runoff also damage shrubs beside driveways, which our guide to winterizing your garden covers.
Who handles ice melt on a residential contract
Our residential snow removal contracts cover plowing and shovelling only, with no salting. If you want ice melt on your steps or walkway, keep a bag somewhere dry and use the tips above. Salting is part of our commercial contracts.
Snow and Ice Tips for Property Managers
A plaza, office, multi-unit building or industrial site has more people on its walkways and more at stake when someone falls.
Plan before the first snowfall
Decide in writing which areas are cleared first: main entrances, accessible parking, fire routes, loading docks. Pickering's by-laws list walkways, driveways, ramps, loading docks, parking areas and outdoor stairs and landings as the owner's responsibility. Our industrial snow removal contracts start with a site walk and a clearing order agreed in writing, so crews know the priorities when snow falls overnight.
Anti-ice before the storm, de-ice after the plow
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's parking lot fact sheet sets out the difference. Anti-icing is applied before snow falls and stops ice from bonding to the pavement. De-icing melts snow and ice that has already formed, and works best after plowing. De-icers give no traction on top of snow and ice. Pick the material by pavement temperature using the table above: the fact sheet says dry salt at about -12°C (10°F) is ineffective and blows away before it melts anything.
Keep walking surfaces in good shape
CCOHS lists weather hazards among the common causes of slips and says good housekeeping is the most important level of fall prevention: keep walkways clear and well lit, and make sure mats lie flat. It also says proper footwear is critical, especially where workers spend considerable time outdoors.
Keep records of every visit
Ontario's Occupiers' Liability Act gives anyone injured by snow or ice 60 days to send written notice of a claim, including the date, time and location. Records made at the time help you answer it. Our commercial snow removal service logs every visit with a timestamp, photos, conditions and salt application rates, which supports your slip-and-fall liability management.
Know the local rules
Commercial owners carry the same sidewalk deadlines as homes, and some towns add more. Our town pages explain the details for commercial sites in Oshawa, Whitby and Pickering, and our page on snow removal in Ajax covers homeowners there.
How Our Snow Contracts Handle This
Here is how our two contract types split the work:
| Residential | Commercial and industrial | |
|---|---|---|
| Dispatch | Automatic at 2 inches, day or night | Real-time weather monitoring, pre-treatment before major events |
| Areas | Driveway, walkways, sidewalks, porch or front entrance | Parking lots, entrances, walkways |
| Salting | Not included | Salt or calcium chloride after every plow visit |
| Season | November 1 to March 31 | November 1 to March 31 |
Commercial and industrial visits are also logged with a timestamp, photos, conditions and salt rates. Both are fixed-price seasonal agreements, and we sign contracts in September and October so routes are set before the first snowfall. Budgeting? Our post on how much snow removal costs in Ontario explains what drives the price, our commercial snow removal cost post covers lots and plazas, and our guide to choosing a snow removal contractor lists the questions to ask.
Common Questions
What is the safest way to shovel snow?
Warm up, shovel early and often, and push snow instead of lifting it. When you must lift, take light loads, bend your legs and turn your feet instead of twisting. Take frequent breaks, and talk to your doctor first if you have heart disease.
At what temperature does salt stop working?
Dry rock salt stops being practical at about -9°C pavement temperature, according to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, and the City of Pickering says salt works best between 0°C and -10°C. Below that, use calcium chloride or sand for traction.
Do residential snow removal contracts include salting?
Ours do not. Our residential contracts cover plowing and shovelling only. Our commercial and industrial contracts include salt or calcium chloride after every plow visit.
Should I clear snow off my gas meter?
Yes. Enbridge Gas asks customers to gently clear the meter and appliance vents with a broom or soft brush after every storm, and to call Enbridge if the meter is encased in ice.
Book Your Snow Contract
If you would rather not shovel at 6 a.m., our residential snow removal crews dispatch automatically at 2 inches. For lots and entrances, our commercial and industrial snow removal contracts salt every visit and log every event. Contact us for a free on-site quote anywhere in Durham Region.
Sources: CCOHS, Shovelling: Snow; CCOHS, Landscaping: Snow Blower; CCOHS, Prevention of Slips, Trips and Falls; Heart and Stroke Foundation, Stay heart healthy in the winter; Enbridge Gas, Keep your gas meter clear; City of Pickering, Snow Safety Tips; Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, How salt works and overview of deicing chemicals; Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, Winter Parking Lot and Sidewalk Maintenance Factsheet; Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, Smart salting practices (December 2025); Environment and Climate Change Canada, Road salts overview; Ontario e-Laws, Occupiers' Liability Act, section 6.1.
