Snow Plowing

The City's Snow and Ice Control Policy describes how snow and ice control will be handled by the City once a snowfall hits.

Snow Plowing Priority System

Snow Plowing Priority Map

Snow plowing is based on a priority system, starting with major roadways and emergency streets.

Priority 1 - Main arterials

Priority 2 - Collector streets, bus routes and school zones (including some downtown streets)

Priority 3 - Downtown (Central Business District)

Priority 4 - Residential

See the map for a visual of what priority streets are labelled. When storms are continuous, or closely follow one another, operations will be repeated or continued on the routes of highest priority until all such roads are completed before moving onto streets of a lesser priority.

For example, crews will leave the priority #2 streets, even if not complete, to return to priority #1 and start over.

Snow Plowing Parking Bans

Parking bans are put in place to assist crews to quickly and effectively complete snow clearing from city streets. Snow Route Parking Bans can be declared on Priority 1 streets when there is more than 4 inches of snowfall at one time.

Temporary parking bans are implemented as required on priority 2, 3, and 4 streets. Streets are signed at least 12 hours in advance to notify motorists of the temporary parking ban. Any vehicles that remain parked on the street 12 hours after the signs have been put up will be considered in violation of the Snow and Ice Control Policy and the City of Prince Albert Traffic Bylaw, 2013 - Section 78(b).

Snow Clearing Parking Ban Brochure

Fines and Towing

Cars that stay parked on the street 12 hours after a temporary parking ban has been put in place are considered in violation of the City's Traffic Bylaw and risk fines and towing. If your vehicle has been towed, please see more information about the City's Impound Lot.

Sand and Salt Operations

In the Winter sand and salt trucks are out regularly during the week targeting high traffic roadways and problem areas throughout the City. With sand and salt, we would like drivers to keep in mind that that there are conditions that can limit its effectiveness. Salt, for example, will not melt the snow/ice if it's colder than -18 and sand can be quickly worn away from traffic on high traffic streets.

If there is an area that you think needs attention, please report it to Public Works.

Piling Snow on Curbs, Cul-de-sacs and Main Streets

The piles of snow left along the curbs following snow plowing operations are called windrows. Except in identified areas, such as 2nd Avenue West, the downtown or 6th Avenue East, snow is not trucked away. This means that in most cases snow plowing will result in windrows on both sides of the road.

Snow is often piled in the center of a cul-de-sac or in the middle of a main street to allow for timely clearing of driving lanes. Crews will return at a later time to truck out the snow.

Driveways and Snow Clearing

Every efforts is made to ensure that windrows (piles of snow along the curb) are not left along a driveway. If the windrow is greater than 12 inches in height you can contact the Public Works department to have it removed. Windrows under 12 inches in height are the responsibility of the property owner or affected individual, company or corporation.

Please note that a loader often follows behind the grader operator to remove windrows along driveways. Please allow some time before reporting the issue to ensure the second operator has time to clear the driveway.

Sidewalks and Snow Clearing

Snow will never intentionally be plowed snow onto City sidewalks. However, in heavy snowfall conditions, up to one-third of a sidewalk may be covered with a windrow. City crews will not return to remove it. The remaining two-thirds of the sidewalk would remain the homeowners responsibility. Crews will not cover the entire sidewalk with snow. If this happens, please report it to Public Works. Learn more about sidewalk snow responsibilities on our sidewalk snow removal page.

Shoveling Snow onto City Streets

It is against the City’s traffic bylaw to shovel snow onto the street. Snow shoveled onto the streets and lanes from driveways and sidewalks causes further obstruction for drivers.

Properties found in violation of this bylaw risk fines.

Reporting an Issue

If there is an area that you think needs attention, please report it to Public Works.

By Phone:

Regular office hours:
Please contact Public Works during regular office hours at (306) 953-4900.

After-Hours (weekends, evenings and holidays):
For items that require urgent attention, please contact the After-Hours Assistance - Non Emergency line after regular office hours at (306)953-4348.

By Email:
Roadways Report a Concern Form

Snow Management Expenses

The snow management budget includes all labour, equipment and materials for snow operations including any costs associated with contracting out services during major snow events and clearing the rotary trail, downtown and city-owned parking lots. The City has crews ready to work 12 hours a day, 7 days a week to provide safe winter conditions for drivers and pedestrians.

Responding to Winter Conditions

City crews respond to whatever winter conditions exist in a year. In 2022 record snow accumulation led to sight line issues that have rarely been a problem in the past. Crews have responded with a record number of snow lifts to address this safety concern and to deal with unprecedented narrowing of City streets.

In 2022 the snow has been relentless. Crews are putting in long hours and that’s just the reality of what’s required. In some years it will mean deficits but we have to make the roads as safe and accessible as possible. - Mayor Greg Dionne.

Read More: Snow Management Reserve Report to be Consider By City Council

More Response = More Cost

Typically, more snow means more cost because crews are out for longer hours and where there are major snow events or winter storms, contractors are called in to clear streets faster.

Reserve Surpluses and Deficits

In 2014, the Snow Management Reserve was established to fund any overages for the snow management operations that may occur in future years. Each year brings new types of challenges. At times this means there are deficits in the reserve and in other years there are surpluses.

The annual snow management budget has increased from $696,090 in 2014 to $1,264,600 in 2022 to address the increase in operation costs. The general rule when approaching snow management has been to budget based on average expenses over the last three years. In the early years of this approach, it resulted in surpluses. By 2019 however, despite increasing the budgets more than the three year average, back to back years of higher than average snowfalls and a major snow event in November 2020 resulted in expenditures that led to ongoing deficits.

Below is a chart that shows the snow management budget versus actual snow management costs and the increase in budget and actual snow costs:

Snow Management	Budget	Actual Costs	(Surplus) / Deficit	Increase in Budget	Increase in actual snow costs
Year 2014	($696,090)	$962,976	$266,886
Year 2015	($840,540)	$782,607	($57,933)	($144,450)	($180,369)
Year 2016	($873,360)	$642,093	($231,267)	($32,820)	($140,514)
Year 2017	($855,590)	$780,571	($75,019)	$17,770	$138,478
Year 2018	($874,750)	$1,147,971	$273,221	($19,160)	$367,400
Year 2019	($885,980)	$1,071,263	$185,283	($11,230)	($76,708)
Year 2020	($999,440)	$1,521,043	$521,603	($113,460)	$449,780
Year 2021	($1,118,490)	$1,200,530	$82,040	($119,050)	($320,513)
Year 2022	($1,264,600)			($146,110)

Addressing the Deficit

Rising costs year over year means that we are still working to address a deficit in the snow management reserve. It will be revisited every year as part of the budget process.

Snow Plowing Priority Map

See the map below to find out what priority a street is.