Snow Removal
Top Three Things you can do to ensure safety and service delivery—including snow removal—during snow storms
- Clear Storm Drains: Prevent flooding in your community, monitor street drains in front of your property and keep them clear of snow. If you need assistance locating nearby storm drains, here's the link to West Vancouver's GIS Maps.
- Park Off-Street: Shovel driveways and park off street. People may receive tickets (and eventually be towed) if their vehicles block any of the following areas:
bus stops
driveways
fire hydrants
intersections
snow removal equipment
the normal flow of traffic
- Keep Sidewalks Clear: Businesses and residences are monitored to ensure that owners/occupiers are removing the ice and snow adjacent to their properties. Snow and ice conditions are challenging for residents, but life safety issues take precedence over the convenience of parking on the street. West Vancouver has a Traffic and Parking Bylaw which addresses business and home owner responsibility for ice and snow removal.
Winter Safety Tips
The District's Role
Managing snow and ice removal on municipal roads is a priority for District staff and takes precedence over other services whenever possible. Snow removal is accomplished with existing resources while still maintaining infrastructure such as water and sewer mains.
The District operates up to twelve vehicles equipped for snow removal as well as using salt, salt brine and sand. These include four tandem trucks equipped with ploughs and spreaders, one tandem truck equipped with a plough and salt brine unit, four five ton trucks equipped with ploughs and spreaders and three backhoe-loaders equipped with ploughs.
Snow removal is performed on a strict priority basis (aside from emergency situations).
Priority 1 routes are bus routes, emergency routes, arterial roads (i.e. Marine Drive) and major collector roads (i.e. 15th Street). During longer storms, primary roads–especially bus routes–are repeatedly ploughed to ensure that everyone has a viable transportation alternative.
Priority 2 routes are schools and minor collector roads (i.e. 11th Street).
Priority 3 routes are local roads, cul-de-sacs, footpaths and footbridges, which will only be dealt with after the weather disturbance has passed and/or Priority 1 and 2 routes are in a safe and stable condition. Please be patient!
The Parks Department clears snow around bus shelters.
For more information on street priorities, please see the Zone Maps below.
Your Role as a Resident or Business
Sidewalks fronting private property (i.e. commercial businesses, single and multiple family dwellings) are the responsibility of the owner/occupier, as specified in the Traffic and Parking Bylaw.
During winter months residents are able to report local conditions 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you require service during this time, contact us at:
Non- Emergency Calls/ General Enquiries from 7:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. - 604-925-7101
Emergency Calls 24/7 and after-hours calls - 604-925-7100
Snow removal priority allocates equipment across four zones. Each zone map indicates specific routes and levels of priority.