Winter storms: How much snow must fall for streets to be cleared

Here’s when you can expect roads to clear in Montreal, Toronto and the GTA, as cities outline how snow removal is prioritized and how long clearing typically takes.

Another round of winter weather is moving into Ontario and Quebec, bringing significant snowfall and a sharp drop in temperatures over the next 48 hours.

Environment Canada says 10 to 20 cm of snow is possible for parts of southern Ontario between Wednesday evening and Thursday afternoon, while Quebec is also bracing for another dumping of snow as colder air settles in.

Here’s what residents can expect when it comes to snow clearing timelines across major cities in Ontario, the GTA and Montreal.

Toronto averages about 130 cm of snow per year, with most storms producing five to 10 cm.

Plowing begins on expressways when snow reaches 2.5 cm, on major roads and transit routes at five cm, and on residential streets at eight cm.

Main roads like the Don Valley Parkway, Gardiner Expressway, as well as arterial roads such as Eglinton Avenue, Yonge Street and Dufferin Street, are prioritized first.

Once snowfall ends, expressways are typically cleared within two hours, arterial roads within six hours, collector roads within eight hours and local roads within 14 hours.

Plowing of these roads begins at that 2.5 cm threshold, with the goal of clearing them to bare pavement within two hours after snowfall ends.