Snow Removal & Plowing in Pickering
Pickering's 24-Hour Sidewalk Rule — and How We Keep You Ahead of It
Unlike Toronto, the City of Pickering does not clear the sidewalk in front of most homes. Under the City's Ice and Snow Clearing By-law 6650/06, every property owner is responsible for clearing ice and snow from any sidewalk bordering their property within 24 hours of a snowfall. Miss the window and the City can clear it for you — and bill you the cost plus a 25% administration fee. The by-law also prohibits pushing snow, ice, or slush onto a City street.
That 24-hour clock is easy to blow through: a storm that ends at midnight means the sidewalk needs to be clear by the following midnight, whether you were at work, away, or simply not up to heavy, wet lake-effect snow. For seniors and shift workers in Bay Ridges, Liverpool, and Village East it is a real liability, and a slip on an uncleared sidewalk is a bigger problem than the fee.
Our seasonal contracts take the whole thing off your plate. Every visit clears the driveway, the walkway and steps, and the sidewalk the by-law holds you responsible for, then salts all of it. Crews come east from our Scarborough yard along the 401 and Kingston Road — Rougemount, Rosebank, and Amberlea sit near the front of the route on storm mornings — and we stack snow on your property, never on the street.
By-law quick facts: 24 hours to clear bordering sidewalks · City may clear at the owner's expense plus 25% admin fee · no snow, ice, or slush onto City streets · clearing must not damage the sidewalk or curb. Source: City of Pickering, Ice and Snow Clearing By-law 6650/06.
Snow Plowing, Sidewalk Clearing & Salting in Pickering
One visit covers the whole property, sidewalk included. Salt and ice melt come with every visit.
Residential Driveway Plowing
Single and double driveways across the subdivisions south of Finch and the newer streets of Duffin Heights and Brock Ridge.
- Windrow broken and cleared
- Snow stacked on your property, per by-law
- Careful around interlocking and garden edges
- Salt on every visit
Sidewalk, Walkway & Ice Control
The bordering sidewalk the by-law assigns to you, plus hand-shovelled walkways, steps, and porches.
- Sidewalk cleared inside the 24-hour window
- Rock salt, treated salt, or calcium chloride by temperature
- Pre-treatment when freezing rain is forecast
- Return visits during freeze-thaw swings
Plaza, Office & Townhouse Lots
Small commercial lots along Kingston Road, Bayly Street, and Brock Road, plus townhouse and condo complexes.
- Before-hours priority routes
- Visitor parking, fire routes, and entrances
- Logged service record every visit
- Certificate of insurance on request
Lake-Effect Snow, Lakeshore Wind, and a Crew That Plans for Both
Pickering sits right on Lake Ontario, and the neighbourhoods closest to the water — Bay Ridges, Rosebank, and the streets around Frenchman's Bay — catch the same lake-effect bands that hit Port Union and West Hill next door. Those systems arrive fast and drop heavy, wet snow that is miserable to shovel and dangerous to leave. Open lakeshore wind then drifts it back across driveways and sidewalks after the plow has passed.
Inland, Amberlea, Highbush, Brock Ridge, and Duffin Heights get the freeze-thaw problem instead: daytime melt refreezing overnight into black ice on driveways and the sidewalks the by-law makes you responsible for. Our ice management is timed to the temperature, not just the snowfall — that is what the return visits between storms are for.
We run commercial-grade trucks with plows sized for residential driveways and hand-shovel where a blade would damage steps or interlocking. Many Pickering snow clients are our lawn care customers in summer, so we already know where the curb ends and where the garden beds start under the snow.
Typical Pricing Guide
Estimates for standard Pickering residential properties. Final price depends on driveway size, walkway and sidewalk length, and service level.
Salt application included with all services. HST extra. Free exact quote for your property.
Pickering Neighbourhoods We Clear
South and central Pickering, routed east from Scarborough. Click a neighbourhood for the landscaping and winter services we offer there.
Get on a Pickering Snow Route
Routes are built in the fall and early sign-ups get the earliest clearing times. Free quotes for homes, townhouse complexes, and small commercial lots.
Get a Free Quote
Response within 24 hours.
Snow Removal in Pickering — Questions Answered
Which parts of Pickering do you clear snow in?
South and central Pickering off the 401 and Kingston Road — Rougemount, Rosebank, Woodlands, Highbush, Amberlea, Dunbarton, Bay Ridges, Liverpool, Village East, Brock Ridge, Duffin Heights, Finch, Falconer Heights, and Cherrywood. Crews come east from Scarborough along the 401 and Kingston Road, so the west-side neighbourhoods are first on the route.
What does Pickering's snow by-law require of homeowners?
Under the City of Pickering's Ice and Snow Clearing By-law 6650/06, property owners must clear ice and snow from any sidewalk bordering their property within 24 hours of a snowfall. If it isn't done, the City can clear it and bill the owner for the cost plus a 25% administration fee. The by-law also prohibits pushing snow, ice, or slush onto a City street. Our visits cover the sidewalk along with your driveway, walkway, and steps — so the 24-hour clock is never your problem.
How much does snow removal cost in Pickering?
Seasonal contracts for residential driveways typically run $400 to $800 for the full winter depending on driveway size and walkway length, with unlimited visits and salt application included. Per-visit clearing runs $50 to $100 per event. Every property is quoted individually — call (647) 893-3876 or use the form on this page.
Do you clear snow in Ajax or Whitby?
No. We keep our routes tight so clearing times stay early — Scarborough, North York, and Pickering only. A tight route is what makes a 4 AM start actually reach your driveway before you leave for work.
When do your crews come after it snows?
We monitor the forecast and dispatch on the trigger depth set in your contract (standard 5 cm, adjustable). For overnight storms crews are on the road by 4 AM. Commercial routes run first, then residential in route order — tell us when you leave for work and we'll place you accordingly.
Is walkway shovelling and salting included?
Yes. Every residential visit covers the driveway, the front walk, the steps and porch, and the sidewalk the by-law makes you responsible for, followed by salt or ice melt on every cleared surface. None of that is an add-on.
Do you offer seasonal contracts in Pickering?
Yes, and most clients choose them: one flat rate covers November through April with unlimited clearing whenever accumulation reaches your trigger depth. Per-visit pricing is available if you'd rather pay as you go. Routes are built in the fall, so early sign-ups get the earliest clearing times.
Do you handle commercial properties in Pickering?
Small plazas, office and medical lots, and townhouse or condo complexes along Kingston Road, Bayly Street, and Brock Road — with before-hours routes, salting every visit, and a logged service record. Larger commercial sites get a free site walk and a written seasonal quote; see our commercial snow & ice management page.