Snow clearing rules in Durham Region are set by each town, not by the Region, so the deadline for your sidewalk and the hours you cannot park on the street depend on where you live. In most of the Region's southern municipalities, property owners must clear the public sidewalk beside their property within 24 hours, clear their own windrows, and keep cars off the street overnight in winter. The details differ in ways that matter, and this guide sets them out side by side for Oshawa, Whitby, Ajax, Pickering and Clarington, using each municipality's own published pages.
Rules change from year to year, so confirm anything important with your municipality before the season.
The Rules at a Glance
| Municipality | Clear the public sidewalk | Windrow at your driveway | Overnight street parking ban |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oshawa | By midnight after the first day the snowfall has ended | Owner's job | December 1 to April 1, 2 a.m. to 6 a.m., and any time during plowing or salting |
| Whitby | Within 24 hours of a snowfall | Owner's job | November 1 to April 15, 2 a.m. to 6 a.m. |
| Ajax | Within 24 hours after snow falls or ice forms | Owner's job | No set nightly window; parking banned during plowing and salting, and parking permits revoked during a winter weather event |
| Pickering | Within 24 hours after snow or ice builds up | Owner's job | December 1 to March 31, 2 a.m. to 5 a.m. |
| Clarington (Bowmanville, Courtice, Newcastle) | Within 24 hours after the end of a snowfall, to full width | Owner's job | 3 a.m. to 5 a.m. all year, and any time during a snow event |
Each municipality also runs a snow clearing program for older residents and people with disabilities, described below. Fines and fees are set in each municipality's by-laws and are not repeated here.
Sidewalk Clearing, Town by Town
Oshawa
The City of Oshawa requires home and property owners to clear the sidewalk in front of and alongside their property by midnight after the first day the snowfall has ended, under its Winter Access By-law. Commercial owners, such as plazas and private businesses, must completely clear every sidewalk and ramp next to their property by the same deadline. The City itself clears sidewalks in the Central Business Improvement Area and next to City-owned property. Its snow clearing activity report, updated three times a day during operations, shows when an event has ended.
Whitby
Whitby's Clean Community By-law requires property owners to clear ice and snow from all sidewalks and walkways bordering their property within 24 hours after a snowfall. If that is not done, the Town may clear the snow and charge the owner for the work. Owners must also clear snow within a 60 cm radius of any fire hydrant on the boulevard.
Ajax
The Town of Ajax requires both residents and businesses to clear the sidewalk in front of their house or business within 24 hours after a snowfall or after ice forms. Fines are set in the Town's User Fees By-law and are added automatically to the property tax bill. The Town's own sidewalk plows clear about 150 km of the town's sidewalks, starting with primary sidewalks along Regional Roads and main Town roads.
Pickering
Pickering's Ice and Snow Clearing By-law requires every owner of a building or vacant land, occupied or not, to clear the sidewalks next to it within 24 hours after snow or ice builds up. If it is not done, the City can clear the sidewalk and charge the owner. Snow cannot be cleared in a way that damages the sidewalk or curb, and cannot be piled where it blocks the view of or access to a fire hydrant. The City does clear some sidewalks itself, including along regional roads and within the designated downtown core.
Clarington
Clarington's snow clearing by-law gives owners 24 hours after the end of a snowfall to clear sidewalks bordering their property. Sidewalks must be cleared to their full width, including between snowfalls and when snow drifts, and owners on corners must also clear the "corner links" where sidewalks meet at an intersection. The Municipality says it is the owner's responsibility to use salt or sand on ice if needed. Since the 2023 to 2024 winter, Clarington crews also plow and salt sidewalks on arterial roads in downtown and high-traffic areas, but the Municipality is clear that owners remain responsible for keeping those sidewalks free of snow and ice. Clarington's rules also apply in Bowmanville, Courtice and Newcastle.
Windrows: The Pile at the End of the Driveway
A windrow is the ridge of snow a road plow leaves across the bottom of a driveway. In all five municipalities, clearing it is the homeowner's job.
Ajax and Oshawa both explain why plows cannot avoid it: lifting the blade at each driveway would leave snow on the road, and plows are too large to place snow between driveways. Pickering notes that in a major storm its crews come back a day or two later for clean-up, which can push snow back into a driveway that was already cleared. Pickering also asks residents to shovel snow onto the downstream side, the right side facing the street, so the next pass does not refill the driveway. Whitby reminds owners they may need to clear windrows more than once a day in a heavy storm.
Corner lots tend to get bigger windrows. Ajax and Pickering both say that driveways near intersections collect more snow because the plow is clearing a wider area of road.
Winter Parking Bans
Street parking rules change in winter in every municipality, and the dates are not the same:
- Oshawa: no on-street parking from 2 a.m. to 6 a.m. between December 1 and April 1, and none at any time during plowing and salting, with escalating fines.
- Whitby: no parking on any street from 2 a.m. to 6 a.m. between November 1 and April 15. During a weather event that needs Town-wide plowing or salting, all parking exemptions are cancelled.
- Ajax: parking permits are automatically revoked during a winter weather event, and parking on the street is prohibited during plowing and salting.
- Pickering: no parking on any street from 2 a.m. to 5 a.m. between December 1 and March 31, and vehicles on the road during snow clearing can be ticketed or towed.
- Clarington: no parking on any street from 3 a.m. to 5 a.m. all year, and none during a snow event at any time of day or night.
If your household or business relies on the street for overnight parking, plan for space on your own property before the dates above.
Help for Seniors and People with Disabilities
Each municipality runs its own program, with its own rules and fees:
- Oshawa offers snow clearing assistance to residents 65 or older and people with disabilities who have no household members without disabilities under 65.
- Whitby runs a snow and windrow clearing program for residents over 65 or with a disability or accessibility issue who have no able-bodied people living in the household.
- Ajax runs a Snow Removal Program for residents 65 or older with no able-bodied person under 65 at the address, or residents unable to do the work because of a physical disability confirmed by a doctor's note.
- Pickering offers a Seniors and Persons with Disabilities Snow Clearing Program, which the City enlarged after a 2023 report to Council to accommodate up to 750 eligible applicants.
- Clarington offers sidewalk and windrow clearing to residents 65 or older, or with a doctor-certified disability, with no able-bodied person under 65 in the home, in a single-family home in an urban area. Windrow clearing starts after the roads are plowed and only when more than 15 cm of snow has fallen. The 2026 application period runs September 21 to October 31.
These programs fill up and have application windows, so apply early. If a program does not fit, a private seasonal contract can take on the driveway, walkways and sidewalk.
Where the Snow Is Allowed to Go
The municipalities set similar rules on where snow can go:
- Never onto the road. Whitby notes that pushing or blowing snow onto the street is also an offence under the Highway Traffic Act, ticketed by Durham Regional Police. Pickering's by-law prohibits putting snow, ice or slush on a City street.
- Not over hydrants. Whitby requires a 60 cm clear radius around hydrants on the boulevard, and Oshawa asks for about 2 feet so hydrants stay visible from the road.
- Keep catch basins open. Whitby and Pickering ask owners to clear snow and debris from catch basins next to their property, so meltwater drains away instead of flooding and refreezing.
Bus stops and super mailboxes are not the homeowner's job. Whitby and Pickering both note that Durham Region Transit, through the Region, looks after bus shelters, and Canada Post clears super mailbox areas.
Rules for Businesses and Property Managers
Commercial properties carry the same sidewalk deadlines as homes, and some municipalities add more. Oshawa requires commercial owners to clear snow or ice from the building if it could fall onto the sidewalk or road. Pickering's by-laws list walkways, driveways, ramps, loading docks, parking areas, and outdoor stairs and landings as the owner's responsibility.
Province-wide, section 6.1 of Ontario's Occupiers' Liability Act requires written notice of a snow or ice injury claim within 60 days. Our town pages explain the local detail for commercial sites in Oshawa, Whitby, Ajax and Pickering. For homeowners, see snow removal in Ajax.
How a Seasonal Contract Fits the Rules
A private contract does not change what the by-laws require, but it takes the deadline off your list. Our residential snow removal contracts dispatch automatically at 2 inches of snow, day or night, and cover the driveway, walkways, sidewalks and porch or front entrance from November 1 to April 15. Residential contracts cover plowing and shovelling only, with no salting.
Our commercial and industrial snow removal contracts add weather-monitored dispatch with pre-treatment before major events, salt or calcium chloride after every plow visit, and time-stamped logs with photos, conditions and salt rates. We sign contracts in September and October so routes are set before the first snowfall.
Common Questions
How long do I have to clear my sidewalk in Durham Region?
It depends on the municipality. Whitby, Ajax, Pickering and Clarington allow 24 hours. Oshawa requires sidewalks to be cleared by midnight after the first day the snowfall has ended.
Do I have to clear the windrow at the end of my driveway?
Yes, in Oshawa, Whitby, Ajax, Pickering and Clarington the windrow is the homeowner's responsibility. Seniors and residents with disabilities can apply to their municipality's snow clearing program, which includes windrows in several towns.
When is overnight street parking banned in Durham Region?
The dates differ: Oshawa bans it from December 1 to April 1, Whitby from November 1 to April 15, Pickering from December 1 to March 31, and Clarington from 3 a.m. to 5 a.m. all year. Ajax bans street parking during plowing and salting and revokes permits during winter weather events.
Can I push snow onto the road?
No. Whitby and Pickering prohibit it in their by-laws, Oshawa asks owners to pile snow on their property instead of the roadway, and Whitby notes it is also an offence under the Highway Traffic Act. Pile snow on your own property.
Who clears snow at bus stops and super mailboxes?
Durham Region Transit looks after bus shelters, and Canada Post clears super mailbox areas, according to Whitby and Pickering.
Get Help With Snow This Winter
Contact us for a free quote on a seasonal snow contract for your home or business. For the rest of your property, see our landscaping pages for Oshawa, Whitby, Ajax, Pickering and Clarington.
Sources: City of Oshawa, Snow Clearing; Town of Whitby, Sidewalk Snow Clearing; Town of Whitby, Snow Clearing; Town of Whitby, Parking; Town of Whitby, Short Term On-Street Parking Registration and Permits; Town of Ajax, Winter Roads and Maintenance; Town of Ajax, Snow Tips and Reminders; City of Pickering, Snow Removal and Clearing; City of Pickering, Ice and Snow Clearing; City of Pickering, Winter Reminders; City of Pickering, Snow Safety Tips and FAQ; Municipality of Clarington, Snow Clearing and Winter Maintenance; Municipality of Clarington, Sidewalk Snow Removal; Municipality of Clarington, Snow Clearing Program for Seniors and Persons with Disabilities; Ontario e-Laws, Occupiers' Liability Act, section 6.1.
