Residential snow removal in Pickering comes down to one question for most homeowners: who clears the driveway, the walk and the snow the City plow leaves behind? The City of Pickering plows and salts the roads, but the rest falls to you. Michael Durham Landscaping plows driveways and shovels walkways for Pickering homes on fixed-price seasonal contracts, with our crew sent out automatically once 2 inches of snow has fallen, day or night.
What Our Residential Contracts Include
Every residential snow removal contract we write for a Pickering home covers:
- The driveway, plowed each time accumulation reaches 2 inches.
- Walkways, the sidewalk and the porch or front entrance, shovelled so there is a clear path to your door.
- Storms at any hour. Dispatch depends on how much snow has fallen, not on the time of day.
- One price for the season, November 1 to April 15, agreed before winter.
Extra areas such as a side door or a patio can be added. Our residential work is plowing and shovelling only; we do not salt homes. Full details are on our residential snow removal page.
The Windrow at the End of Your Driveway
A windrow is the ridge of snow a road plow leaves across the bottom of a driveway. Pickering's Winter Reminders page says plainly that clearing it is the resident's responsibility, and that the snow must go onto your boulevard, not back onto the road. Putting snow on the road or sidewalk can lead to a fine under the City's Ice and Snow Clearing By-law 6650/06.
The City explains why windrows happen in its Snow Safety Tips FAQ. Plows are built to move snow off the road and onto the boulevard, and driveways are part of the boulevard. Two habits help:
- Pile shovelled snow on the downstream side. The City suggests placing it on the right side of your driveway (as you face the street), so less is pushed back in when the plow returns.
- Check the map first. The City's Interactive Winter Operations Map shows when your road has been plowed.
Could the City take over windrows? In 2023, staff presented a report to Council on the feasibility of clearing residential windrows. The City says both options studied would be a large and growing ongoing cost, and windrows remain the homeowner's job.
A note on our own contracts: we plow and shovel the areas named in your plan. If the windrow matters to you, ask about it when we quote, and do not assume it is covered.
Pickering's Seniors and Persons with Disabilities Snow Clearing Program
After the 2023 report, the City enlarged its Seniors and Persons with Disabilities Snow Clearing program to accommodate up to 750 eligible applicants.
Who qualifies. You must live in urban Pickering (south of Taunton Road) or in Brougham, Claremont, Greenwood or Whitevale, on a municipal street, in a single dwelling you own and live in, with property taxes in good standing. You must be over 65, or under 65 with proof of a permanent physical or cognitive disability, and no one aged 18 to 65 can live in the home unless they have such a disability. There is also a household income limit, and applicants with a disability are given priority. Extra spaces go by lottery if it fills.
What it covers. The City describes the service as clearing the windrow and the concrete sidewalks next to the property after its plows finish their routes. It does not shovel the whole driveway, so check the program page for the full details.
How to apply. Apply to the Customer Care Centre at City Hall in person, by mail or by drop box, with proof of age, income and ownership. For the 2026/2027 season, registration ran September 11 to October 16, 2026, and late applications are accepted while space remains. The fee depends on household income and is set by the City; recipients of GAINS or the Guaranteed Income Supplement are exempt. A private contract can cover the full driveway for those who do not qualify.
If a City Plow Damages Your Property
The City's FAQ sets out what it will repair. Contact its Customer Care Centre to arrange an inspection.
- Sod: the City inspects and makes any repairs it deems necessary once sod is available in spring. Lawn damaged by a sidewalk plow is soiled and seeded in spring.
- Driveway or curb on the boulevard: the City owns the boulevard and repairs plow damage with asphalt. It will not restore boulevards finished with interlocking brick, patterned concrete or concrete or wood curbs.
- Mailbox: in rural areas, a mailbox knocked down by a City plow may be replaced with a standard rural mailbox.
Corner Lots, Courts, Salt, Bins and Catch Basins
- Corner lots get bigger windrows because snow builds up along the side street with no driveways to catch it, then releases at the first driveway the plow reaches.
- Courts: front-end loaders remove the pile in the centre of a court, if needed, after 48 hours from the end of the snow event.
- Salt first, then plow: City trucks salt once snow has built up so the brine breaks its bond with the road, then plow the slush later.
- Garbage and recycling: set bins on a cleared spot at the bottom of the driveway, far enough back to avoid being buried, and never on the road, the sidewalk or a snow pile.
- Catch basins: keeping the one beside your property clear of snow and ice lets meltwater drain and helps prevent flooding and icy streets.
Business owners face a longer list; see commercial snow removal in Pickering. Rules change, so confirm current requirements with the City of Pickering.
Common Questions
Who clears the windrow at the end of my driveway in Pickering?
You do. The City says windrow clearing is the resident's responsibility, and the snow must go onto your boulevard rather than back onto the road.
Will the City fix my interlock apron if a plow damages it in Pickering?
No. The City repairs plow damage on the boulevard with asphalt, but it will not restore aprons finished with interlocking brick, patterned concrete or concrete or wood curbs.
Does Pickering's seniors snow program clear my whole driveway?
No. The City describes the program as clearing the windrow and the concrete sidewalks next to the property, not the full driveway.
When does your crew come to my Pickering home?
Once 2 inches of snow has accumulated, day or night, from November 1 to April 15. You do not need to call.
Book Your Pickering Snow Contract
We sign seasonal contracts in September and October so routes are set before November 1. Contact us for a free quote. Our Durham Region snow clearing rules guide compares the towns, and our post on how to choose a snow removal contractor in Durham Region lists what to ask before you sign. For yard work in warmer months, see landscaping in Pickering.
Sources: City of Pickering, Winter Reminders; City of Pickering, Snow Safety Tips; City of Pickering, Seniors and Persons with Disabilities Snow Clearing; City of Pickering, Report OPS 04-23 to Council on windrow clearing.