The City of Peterborough has declared a Significant Weather Event as a major winter storm continues to impact the region, bringing heavy snowfall and challenging travel conditions.
The declaration was made Thursday, as Environment Canada issued a Yellow Weather Warning forecasting up to 30 centimetres of snow for the area. Additional snowfall is expected over the coming days, prompting concerns about road safety and delays in snow-clearing operations.
City officials say Public Works crews are fully deployed and responding to the storm, but residents should expect slower-than-normal snow clearing due to the volume of accumulation and ongoing weather conditions. Crews may need to repeatedly redeploy to arterial and collector roads to manage fresh snowfall.
The City’s winter maintenance fleet includes 18 plow trucks, 11 sidewalk plows, two graders, seven loaders and backhoes, and four light sanding units applying winter abrasives and de-icers. Crews are working to clear the city’s 1,028 kilometres of roads, 412 kilometres of sidewalks, 44 kilometres of trails, 29 municipal parking lots, and approximately 650 bus stops.
Once plowing operations are complete, snow removal will begin at roughly 250 locations, including cul-de-sacs, dead ends and wide intersections. The City cautions that this work may be delayed depending on available resources and continued snowfall.
Under the Municipal Act, 2001, declaring a Significant Weather Event allows municipalities to notify residents that snow clearing and surface treatment may not meet typical service levels due to severe conditions. The declaration also serves to increase public awareness of maintenance limitations and safety risks.
Residents, pedestrians and cyclists are urged to use caution, as conditions may pose hazards on roads, sidewalks and bike lanes. Motorists are advised to avoid unnecessary travel, reduce speed, watch for taillights ahead, and be prepared to stop as visibility may be reduced.
The City is also reminding residents to give snow-clearing crews adequate space to work safely and effectively. Peterborough Transit may adjust service, including the use of designated snow routes, in response to weather conditions.
Winter parking restrictions remain in effect, with parking prohibited on all city streets between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. from Dec. 1 to April 1. During active snow-clearing operations, stopping or parking on any city street is not permitted. Free overnight parking is available in municipal parking garages and surface lots during snowstorms, with garage tickets eligible for a free ride home on Peterborough Transit.
