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By Justine Kelsie

Keep snow on property: Regional Enforcement Services

Jan 9, 2018 | 2:54 PM

The County is urging people to keep their snow and ice on their own property. 

With recent snowfall in the region, residents should be keeping the white stuff off public roads and out of ditches. Sgt. Kim Donecz said it is dangerous for it to be placed on roadways. 

“It becomes a safety hazard with the increased risk of damaging the equipment trying to remove it. It can damage the roadways as well. It can also damage the residential vehicles that are going over the roadways,” said Donecz. “With the changing weather, snow being deposited onto the road, it can freeze and thaw. Sometimes it can become compacted and hard.” 

Graders can get damage to their blades and passenger vehicles can receive damaged fenders from going over the hardened ice or snow, according to the Bylaw Sergeant. Snow is also not allowed to be dumped in ditches. 

“They are designed to hold a certain amount of snow and a certain amount of natural deposit. When you put the extra deposit into our ditches and onto our approaches, whether it is the grader or whatever vehicle you are using like snowplows to push extra snow onto the roads, you can damage the culverts because you don’t know where your vehicles can go.”

Under County Bylaw 3024 and the Highways Development and Protection Act, officers can hand out fines if you are found to be moving snow to these locations. A $100 fine, order to clean up snow, and an additional $200 fine for failure to clean up the debris from the road could be issued. 

Donecz encourages people to report improper snow removal online, by email at enforcementservices@countygp.ab.ca, or by calling 780-532-9727.

by Justine Kelsie