Sidewalk Snow Clearing Service Levels in Niagara Falls
The City of Niagara Falls engaged the public to better understand residents' needs and opinions regarding sidewalk snow clearing during the winter months.
Update
On February 4, 2025, Council adopted a Snow Clearing Bylaw to improve winter-time pedestrian accessibility and mitigate the risks associated with clearing snow and preventing ice on sidewalks cost-effectively. The effective enforcement date will start October 1, 2026, with a public education campaign leading up to this date.
Staff was directed to develop a financial assistance program to mitigate the potential financial hardships of this bylaw on low-income seniors and individuals with physical disabilities who may not otherwise be able to participate in clearing sidewalks in front of their property.
View the report. View the Staff presentation.
Background
In 2022, the City of Niagara Falls launched an online sidewalk snow clearing survey to better measure and understand residents' needs and opinions regarding sidewalk snow clearing during the winter months.
The engagement was held in response to a motion approved by Council on October 26, 2021, that directed staff to gather public input from residents and members of the Seniors Advisory Committee as we look to update our current level of service, considering the impacts on inclusiveness, accessibility, and the financial implications.
At the Tuesday, October 1, 2024, Council meeting, the City of Niagara Falls Director of Operations, James Sticca, discussed options for improving the City's approach to clearing snow from sidewalks during the winter. The City is responsible for maintaining around 600 kilometres of sidewalks, with approximately 200 kilometres maintained in the winter through mechanical clearing.
Various options were presented, with the Staff preferring to extend the current snow-clearing service to sidewalks along Class 2 and Class 3 roads. Council approved this enhancement and requested further feedback from the community through a refined survey.
Telephone Survey
ERG National Research conducted a telephone survey in October 2024 to learn about residents' preferred approaches to sidewalk snow clearing. The survey allowed us to connect directly with community residents and gave residents the opportunity to engage in a direct and meaningful consultation.
The phone survey consisted of approximately four questions:
- Do you own a house in the City of Niagara Falls or rent a house in which you are responsible for maintaining the property?
- Do you feel that all sidewalks in Niagara Falls should be cleared from snow and ice in the winter?
- The City is weighing options to keep all sidewalks cleared, either by enacting a sidewalk snow clearing by-law or by increasing the level of service through additional resources and equipment. Do you believe there should be a by-law similar to St. Catharines and Welland, including fines for property owners who don’t clear the sidewalk within 48 hours of the end of a snowfall?
- Would you pay up to a 2% tax increase for the city to clear all city sidewalks during winter like Grimsby and Fort Erie, including sidewalks in front of houses?
