Good commercial landscape maintenance in Durham Region comes down to one written contract that covers the whole year, says exactly what is done and how often, and produces a record of every visit. For a plaza, office, industrial unit or multi-unit building, that contract also has to meet the local by-laws: grass height limits, boulevard upkeep and, in winter, deadlines for sidewalks and parking areas. This guide sets out what to put in a grounds and snow contract, then compares the rules in Oshawa, Whitby, Ajax and Pickering from each municipality's own by-laws. Rules change, so confirm the current version with your municipality before you sign.
What One Year-Round Contract Should Cover
Most commercial sites need four kinds of work through the year: lawn cutting, bed upkeep, spring and fall cleanups, and snow and ice management. Split across vendors, the gaps show up between seasons, such as leaves still on the lot when the first snow arrives.
Our commercial landscaping and property maintenance contracts put all of it under one agreement. A typical scope includes lawn cutting, garden maintenance, spring and fall cleanups and snow management, and we tailor the service list to the property's actual needs. We maintain multi-unit residential properties, commercial lots and rental properties across Durham Region, and property managers receive visit logs, photos and seasonal reports.
Before you request quotes, walk the site and list what is actually there:
- Turf areas, including the municipal boulevard along each street frontage, which the by-laws below make your responsibility.
- Beds, hedges and shrubs, especially at entrances, signs and anywhere planting could block a sightline or grow over a sidewalk.
- Hard surfaces: parking areas, fire routes, drive aisles, walkways, ramps, stairs and loading areas.
- Problem spots: low areas that pond, slopes, corners where plowed snow tends to be piled, and catch basins.
The Grounds Season: Scope, Frequency and Records
A scope that only says "lawn care" invites disputes. Write the frequency and the finished standard into the contract.
Lawn cutting. Our lawn maintenance runs weekly or bi-weekly, with string trimming along beds, walkways and fences and line edging along driveways and curbs. Weekly cutting is ideal through the peak growing season, May to September. Every municipality in this guide regulates grass height (see the table below), so the cutting schedule is also how a site stays compliant. Clippings are mulched by default; bagging is available on request.
Beds and hedges. Garden maintenance visits can be weekly, bi-weekly or monthly. Most residential gardens do well bi-weekly from May through October, but high-visibility commercial properties often need weekly service. Each visit follows a documented checklist: weeding, deadheading, edge trimming, mulch top-ups and seasonal adjustments, with pruning and hedge trimming to keep growth off walkways.
Cleanups. Spring and fall yard cleanups cover leaf removal, debris clearing and bed prep. In Durham Region, late October to mid-November is the best window for the fall cleanup, after most leaves are down but before heavy snow. All leaves, branches and debris are hauled off the property. Whitby and Ajax both restrict putting leaves on the road.
Watering. Durham Region makes odd-even day lawn watering mandatory from May to September under its Regional Water System By-law: water on odd calendar days if the address number is odd, and on even days if it is even. If the site has irrigation, ask whoever runs it to set the controller to match.
Records. Ask for a log of every visit, with the date, the work done and photos. If a by-law officer or tenant raises a complaint about long grass or an overgrown boulevard, a dated record shows what was done and when.
The Winter Season: Triggers, Priorities and Logs
Snow is where vague contract wording costs the most. Settle these points in writing before November.
When crews are dispatched. A contract should say what starts a visit. Our commercial and industrial snow removal contracts use real-time weather monitoring to drive dispatch, with pre-treatment before major events, so lots and entrances are ready when staff and customers arrive.
Salting. Confirm that de-icing is part of the base contract and not an extra. In our commercial contracts, salt or calcium chloride goes down after every plow visit.
Clearing order. On a large site, decide in advance which areas are cleared first: main entrances, fire routes, accessible parking, loading areas. For industrial snow removal at plants, warehouses and industrial units, we walk the site with you before the season and agree in writing which areas come first, so crews know the order when snow falls overnight.
Where the snow goes. Mark snow storage areas on a site plan, away from catch basins, sightlines and hydrants. Whitby, Ajax and Pickering all prohibit pushing snow onto the road, and Whitby and Ajax also prohibit pushing it onto a sidewalk.
Season and price. Our commercial and industrial contracts run November 1 through April 15 as fixed-price seasonal agreements, so costs are known before winter starts. We sign contracts in September and October so routes and priorities are set before the first snowfall. Every site is different, so we quote after reviewing the property.
Logs. Every visit on our commercial contracts is recorded with a timestamp, photos, conditions and salt application rates.
Slip and Fall Claims: The 60-Day Notice Rule
Ontario's Occupiers' Liability Act says an occupier must take reasonable care to see that people entering the premises are reasonably safe. Section 6.1, added in 2020, sets a notice rule for snow and ice injuries: an injured person generally cannot sue an occupier, or a snow contractor the occupier hired, unless written notice of the claim, with the date, time and location, is served personally or sent by registered mail within 60 days of the injury.
Three parts of the rule matter for property managers:
- Notice to one is notice to all. Notice served on either the occupier or the contractor counts. An occupier that receives one must pass a copy to any other occupiers and to the snow contractor, and a contractor must pass a copy to the occupier that hired it, in each case by personal service or registered mail.
- It is not an absolute bar. The 60-day limit does not apply if the injured person died, and a judge can allow a claim if there was a reasonable excuse and the defence is not prejudiced.
- Records answer the questions a claim raises. A notice names a date, time and location. Time-stamped logs with photos, conditions and salt rates show what was done at that spot on that day.
Put the notice process in your contract. This is general information, not legal advice; ask your lawyer or insurer about a specific claim.
Commercial Grounds Rules, Town by Town
The table compares the rules that most affect a commercial site. Fines and fees are set in each by-law and are not repeated here.
| Municipality | Grass and weeds on the property | Boulevard | Private walkways and parking areas in winter | Public sidewalk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oshawa | No higher than 20 cm (8 in.) | Owner maintains it: no waste, grass under 20 cm, no noxious weeds | Driveways, ramps, parking areas, walkways, stairs and landings kept safe for passage in snow and ice, day or night | Commercial owners: all sidewalks and ramps by midnight of the day after the snow event ends |
| Whitby | No higher than 15 cm | Owner maintains it: grass under 15 cm, free of refuse; plantings no higher than 0.9 m | Properties other than private homes: walkways, driveways, lanes and parking areas within 24 hours | Within 24 hours, including the windrow and a 60 cm radius around hydrants |
| Ajax | All yards and property no higher than 15 cm | Owner keeps it clean, cut below 15 cm, with landscaping kept off the road and sidewalk | Properties other than private homes: walkways, driveways, lanes, parking areas and hydrants within 24 hours | Within 24 hours, including the windrow and hydrants |
| Pickering | Kept trimmed so it is not a nuisance; the City's clean yards page lists 15 cm | Owner maintains it: grass under 15 cm, plantings no higher than 1.0 m | Commercial, industrial and institutional areas open to the public: walkways, stairs, ramps, parking areas and fire routes kept free of snow and ice at all times | Within 24 hours |
Oshawa
Oshawa's Lot Maintenance By-law 127-2007 applies to every lot and limits grass and weeds to 20 cm (8 in.), with no noxious weeds, standing water, waste or graffiti. Owners must also maintain the boulevard next to their property to the same standard. The same by-law requires owners to maintain driveways, ramps, parking areas, exterior walkways, stairs and landings so they are safe under normal use and weather conditions, including snow and ice, day or night. For the public sidewalk, the City's snow clearing page says commercial owners such as plazas and private businesses must completely clear all abutting sidewalks and ramps by midnight of the day after the end of the snow event, clear snow or ice from the building if it could fall onto the sidewalk or road, and use proper safety measures while doing it. See our page on commercial snow removal in Oshawa.
Whitby
Whitby replaced its Property and Boulevard Maintenance By-law with the Clean Community By-law 8271-26, passed March 9, 2026; the old by-law was repealed as of March 31, 2026. It limits grass and weeds to 15 cm on the property and, for properties in residential, commercial or industrial zones, on the boulevard too. Boulevard plantings cannot exceed 0.9 m in height or sit within 2 m of the curb or 1 m of a hydrant. No one may put leaves or grass clippings on the road. In winter, every owner must clear the sidewalk, including the windrow, and a 60 cm radius around hydrants within 24 hours, and every property other than a private home must also clear its walkways, pathways, driveways, lanes and parking areas within 24 hours. See commercial snow removal in Whitby.
Ajax
The Town of Ajax Property Standards By-law 46-2017 says all yards and property, including vacant lots, must be kept free of grass and weeds over 15 cm. The Public Nuisance and Safety By-law 46-2025 requires owners to keep the abutting boulevard clean and well kept, with grass cut below 15 cm and landscaping kept from growing over the road, sidewalk or walkway where it would block a sightline or safe passage. Leaves cannot be raked or blown onto the road except in approved yard waste bags. Every owner must clear the sidewalk, including the windrow, within 24 hours, and properties other than private homes must clear walkways, pathways, driveways, lanes, parking areas and hydrants on the property within 24 hours. See commercial snow removal in Ajax.
Pickering
Pickering's Property Standards By-law 7887/21 applies to all property in the City and requires grass and plants to be kept trimmed so they do not become a nuisance, with heavy undergrowth and noxious weeds controlled; the City's clean yards page lists a 15 cm limit for grass and weeds. The Boulevard Maintenance By-law 6831/08 sets the same 15 cm limit on the boulevard, where plantings cannot be within 0.6 m of a sidewalk or higher than 1.0 m, and rocks, light fixtures, signage and fences are not allowed. The property standards by-law also goes furthest on winter safety: in all areas of commercial, industrial and institutional property that the public can reach, ramps and access routes, walkways and stairways must be kept free of ice and snow, and exterior parking areas and fire routes must be kept free of accumulations of ice and snow at all times. The Ice and Snow Clearing By-law 6650/06 separately gives owners 24 hours to clear abutting sidewalks. See commercial snow removal in Pickering.
For the residential side of these rules, including parking bans and seniors programs, see our snow clearing rules guide.
A Pre-Signing Checklist for Property Managers
Before you sign, confirm the contract answers each of these:
- The areas included, on a site plan, including boulevards.
- Lawn and bed frequency, and the standard at each visit.
- Cleanup timing and where debris goes.
- What triggers a snow visit, and whether salting is included.
- The clearing order and the snow storage areas.
- The records you receive after each visit.
- How a section 6.1 notice is passed between you and the contractor.
- The season dates and price structure.
Common Questions
What does a commercial landscape maintenance contract include?
It depends on the site. Our property maintenance contracts typically cover lawn cutting, garden maintenance, spring and fall cleanups and snow management under one agreement, with the scope customized to each property and visit logs, photos and seasonal reports for the property manager.
Do commercial properties have to clear their parking lots in Durham Region?
In several towns, yes. Whitby and Ajax require properties other than private homes to clear walkways, driveways, lanes and parking areas within 24 hours. Pickering requires public areas of commercial, industrial and institutional property, including parking areas and fire routes, to be kept free of snow and ice at all times. Oshawa requires parking areas, ramps and walkways to be kept safe for passage in snow and ice.
Who maintains the boulevard in front of a commercial property?
The property owner or occupant. Oshawa, Whitby, Ajax and Pickering all require owners to keep the boulevard beside their property cut and free of waste, even though the land itself belongs to the municipality.
What is the 60-day notice rule for slip and fall claims in Ontario?
Section 6.1 of the Occupiers' Liability Act says a claim for injury caused by snow or ice generally cannot proceed against an occupier or its snow contractor unless written notice, with the date, time and location, is served within 60 days. There are exceptions, including when the injured person died or a judge finds a reasonable excuse.
When should a commercial snow contract be signed?
Ours run November 1 through April 15, and we sign them in September and October so routes and site priorities are set before the first snowfall.
Get a Quote for Your Commercial Property
Every commercial site is different, so we quote after walking the property with you. Contact us for a free quote on a year-round grounds and snow contract. We work across the region, including Oshawa, Whitby, Ajax and Pickering.
Sources: City of Oshawa, Lot Maintenance By-law 127-2007 (consolidated); City of Oshawa, Property Maintenance and Standards; City of Oshawa, Snow Clearing; Town of Whitby, Clean Community By-law 8271-26; Town of Whitby, Boulevard Maintenance; Town of Whitby, Sidewalk Snow Clearing; Town of Ajax, Property Standards By-law 46-2017; Town of Ajax, Public Nuisance and Safety By-law 46-2025; City of Pickering, Property Standards and Clean Yards; City of Pickering, Property Standards By-law 7887/21; City of Pickering, Boulevard Maintenance; City of Pickering, Ice and Snow Clearing; Region of Durham, Water Efficiency; Ontario e-Laws, Occupiers' Liability Act.
