Commercial snow removal in Port Perry is held to a stricter standard than many owners expect. The Township of Scugog's property standards by-law says parking areas, walkways and building access routes on commercial, industrial and institutional property open to the public must be kept free of snow and ice at all times, and a separate by-law gives owners and occupants 24 hours to clear the public sidewalk. Michael Durham Landscaping looks after that work for Port Perry businesses, industrial sites and multi-unit buildings on fixed-price seasonal contracts.
What a Port Perry Contract With Us Covers
Every site on our commercial and industrial snow removal service is handled the same way:
- Dispatch follows the forecast. We monitor weather in real time and pre-treat surfaces ahead of major events.
- Salt or calcium chloride goes down after every plow visit, not only when someone asks for it.
- A log for each visit records the time, photos, conditions and the salt application rate used.
- One fixed price covers the season from November 1 to April 15.
We sign contracts in September and October and review each property before quoting. A plaza with several entrances and an industrial yard with loading areas need different plans.
Scugog Rules Port Perry Businesses Should Know
"At all times" on your own lot
Scugog's Property Standards By-law 16-15, as amended by By-law 28-25, has a section that applies to multiple dwellings and to commercial, industrial and institutional property the public can access. Ramps and access routes leading to garages, walkways to and from buildings, and every exterior parking area, including driveways and laneways, must be kept free from accumulations of snow and ice at all times. That is why salting after each plow visit matters on a public lot.
The public sidewalk within 24 hours
The Township's Sidewalk Snow Removal By-law 106-05 makes every owner and occupant responsible for clearing snow and ice from the sidewalk in front of, beside or behind their building or vacant land within 24 hours after it accumulates. The by-law's definition of owner includes anyone with a leasehold interest, so a tenant business can be on the hook as well as the landlord. If the work is not done, the Township may clear the sidewalk itself and add the expense to the tax roll.
Some sidewalks are plowed by the Township
According to the Township's Snowplowing and Winter Operations page, Scugog clears select sidewalks shown on its published sidewalk plow route maps, normally sanding or plowing them at least once within 24 hours after a typical storm. Any sidewalk not on those routes belongs to the property owner. Check the current map before leaving the sidewalk out of your contract.
Where the snow can go
The Township asks owners not to place snow or ice beside or blocking a fire hydrant, anywhere it would block drainage to a catch basin, ditch or culvert, or on roads. Its winter road maintenance facts note that blowing or pushing snow onto or across a road contravenes the Highway Traffic Act. We plan pile locations during the site review to keep those outlets open.
How Roads Are Plowed Around Port Perry
The Township maintains 826 lane kilometres of road. Day crews usually start at 4:00 a.m. during a winter event, and a full plowing run takes 8 to 12 hours. Priorities follow the provincial minimum standards:
- Priority 1: arterial roads and EMS locations, within 12 hours once snow reaches 8 cm.
- Priority 2: collector roads, Class 4 roads and designated bus routes, within 16 hours once snow reaches 8 cm.
- Priority 3: local roads and Class 5 and 6 roads, within 24 hours once snow reaches 10 cm.
Not every road in Port Perry is the Township's. Simcoe Street is Regional Road 2 and Reach Street is Regional Road 8, both maintained by the Region of Durham, while Highway 7A (Scugog Street) is maintained by the Ontario Ministry of Transportation. On rural roads the Township spreads a pickled sand mix with 12% salt rather than straight salt. The Township can also declare a Significant Weather Event, which suspends its normal timelines. Your lot still needs clearing while that declaration is in effect.
Winter Parking and Your Site
The Township's parking rules ban parking on Township roads from 2:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m. between November 1 and April 15, the same dates as our contract season. No vehicle may stay on a street for more than three hours unless signs say otherwise, and stopping in a way that interferes with snow removal is a listed violation, as is parking in a fire route or within 3 metres of a hydrant. The Township also publishes a map of downtown Port Perry parking lots. If staff or tenants park on your lot overnight, tell us at the site review.
Snow and Ice Injury Claims in Ontario
Section 6.1 of Ontario's Occupiers' Liability Act bars a lawsuit for personal injury caused by snow or ice unless written notice giving the date, time and location of the incident reaches the occupier, or another person the Act names, within 60 days, delivered in person or by registered mail. An occupier who gets that notice has to give a copy to its snow contractor, and the reverse also applies. Our dated visit logs help you respond. This is general information, not legal advice; ask your lawyer or insurer about your situation.
By-laws and service levels change, so confirm current requirements with the Township of Scugog before each season.
Common Questions
Does the 24-hour sidewalk rule apply to downtown Port Perry businesses?
Yes, unless the Township clears that sidewalk on its published route. By-law 106-05 applies to every owner and occupant of a building or vacant land in Scugog.
Is my Port Perry parking lot covered by a Township standard?
Yes, if the public can access it. Scugog's property standards by-law requires exterior parking areas, walkways and access routes on commercial, industrial and institutional property to be kept free of snow and ice at all times.
Who plows Simcoe Street and Reach Street in Port Perry?
The Region of Durham. Both are Regional Roads, so road plowing there follows the Region's schedule, not the Township's.
Can we push lot snow into a ditch or onto the road in Scugog?
No. The Township asks owners not to put snow on roads or where it blocks a ditch, culvert or catch basin, and pushing snow onto a road contravenes the Highway Traffic Act.
Book a Port Perry Site Review
Contact us for a site review and a free quote on your Port Perry property. Read our guide on how to choose a snow removal contractor in Durham Region before you sign, and see landscaping in Port Perry for work in the warmer months. Running a plant or warehouse? See our industrial snow removal page.
Sources: Township of Scugog, Snowplowing and Winter Operations; Township of Scugog, Facts About Winter Road Maintenance in Scugog; Township of Scugog, Sidewalk Snow Removal By-law 106-05; Township of Scugog, Property Standards By-law 16-15 as amended by By-law 28-25; Township of Scugog, Parking; Ontario e-Laws, Occupiers' Liability Act, section 6.1.