Barrie buried in snow as road crews work to keep up

A snow plow in Barrie, Ont., works to clear snow-covered roads. (CTV News/Mike Lang)

Mother Nature dumped 65 centimetres - or just over two feet - of snow in January alone, nearly double the snowfall recorded in the same month over the past two years, and there doesn’t seem to be an end in sight.

Environment Canada issued yet another snow squall warning for much of Simcoe County on Monday, with another 15 centimetres of accumulation possible.

All this snow is keeping snow removal crews busy. Operations in Barrie remain in full swing, with crews working to keep roads and sidewalks passable for residents and emergency vehicles.

“We are experiencing a good old-fashioned winter with lots of snow, and we thank you for your patience as crews do their best to clear roads and sidewalks,” said Dave Friary, City of Barrie director of operations. “Using a combination of City staff and contractors, plowing, sanding, and salting is performed with consideration to safety and environmental concerns. We know it can be challenging to get around with the amount of snow the city is receiving, and we want to help keep people moving safely.”

Just How Much Snow?

• Barrie typically gets 286 cm of snow per year.
• So far this winter, 10,000 cubic meters of snow (about 500 triaxle loads) have been removed from the downtown area.
• The city received 65 cm of snow this January, compared to 36 cm in January 2023 and 33 cm in January 2022.

Winter Reminders

Plowing City Roads

Main roads, which handle the most traffic, are plowed once five centimetres of snow accumulates. Residential roads are cleared once snowfall reaches eight centimetres. The goal is to have most routes plowed 12 to 24 hours after a snowfall ends.

Residents can track the status of snowplows using the city’s Plow Tracker. However, the City reminds residents that plows cannot avoid pushing snow to the bottom of driveways as they move through neighbourhoods.

Sidewalk Clearing

Sidewalks along major routes are cleared once five centimetres of snow accumulates, while residential sidewalks are plowed at eight centimetres. If residents see a sidewalk plow using the road, it’s because travelling on the road is often the quickest route to the next sidewalk.

Parking Restrictions

To allow for full snow clearing, on-street parking is banned from 12:01 a.m. to 7 a.m. across the city and from 3 a.m. to 6 a.m. in the downtown core from until March 31. These restrictions also ensure emergency vehicles can access all streets.

Waste Collection Tips

Residents should clear a small space at the bottom of their driveway to place garbage, recycling, and green bins, ensuring they are not on top of snowbanks or blocking sidewalks.

As winter weather continues, the City says crews remain on standby for whatever Mother Nature has in store next.