Winter Driving

The District of Saanich has a Snow and Ice Control Program. The program intends to keep municipal roads drivable under winter road conditions. Snow and ice control services cannot eliminate all hazardous conditions on municipal roads.

Motorists should use caution during winter road conditions. If you must go out, drive according to the road conditions in a vehicle properly equipped for winter driving or use BC Transit.

Road Safety & Clearing Priorities

Public Works makes use of external meteorological services to monitor winter weather and respond accordingly. Depending on the event, we may pre-treat roadways with anti-icing brine solution and/or salt, sand, or plow based on priority routes set out in the Snow and Ice Control Program.

There are approximately 600 km of road network in the District. As such we must coordinate the most efficient and effective deployment of our snow and ice control resources. Unfortunately, our trucks and crews can’t be everywhere at once. Therefore, we must follow our established routes and priorities in a systematic and timely manner.

Our First Priority routes include:

• Major and collector streets consisting of high-volume roads and streets that connect us to our transportation system.
• Examples of Major streets include McKenzie, Quadra, Shelbourne, and Cedar Hill
• Examples of Major Collectors include North Dairy, Feltham, and Reynolds
• Designated BC Transit bus routes including specific transit hubs and major bus shelters.

• Pre-identified steep hills
• We also support emergency services such as Police, Fire and Ambulance.

Heavy Snowfall or Prolonged Snow Events:

Treating of First Priority routes will continue. Once these routes remain drivable under winter road conditions, we then start treating our Second Priority Routes (lower traffic volume minor collector roads and residential streets

• If we are clearing our Second Priority routes and it starts snowing again, we will re-direct our resources back to the First Priority routes.

Our Second Priority routes include:

• Lower traffic volume minor collector roads and residential streets

  • Priority is given to lower traffic volume minor collector roads and residential streets scheduled for greener garbage collection during the snow event to ensure collection continues.

  • Examples of minor collectors include: Queenswood Drive, Thornhill Crescent, Dean Avenue, Salsbury Way, Savannah Avenue, McBriar Avenue, Sunnymead Way, Wascana Street, Charlton Road, Beaver Lake Road, Hunt Road

What are Saanich's priority snow removal routes?

Our First Priority routes include:

• Major and collector streets consisting of high-volume roads and streets that connect us to our transportation system.
• Examples of major streets include McKenzie, Quadra, Shelbourne, and Cedar Hill
• Examples of major collectors include North Diary, Feltham, and Reynolds
• Designated BC Transit bus routes including specific transit hubs and major bus shelters.
• Supporting emergency services such as Police, Fire and Ambulance.
• Pre-identified steep hills.

Our Second Priority routes include:

Lower traffic volume, minor collector roads and scheduled greener garbage collection routes.

• Priority is given to lower traffic volume minor collector roads and residential streets scheduled for greener garbage collection during the snow event to ensure collection continues.
• Examples of minor collectors include: Queenswood Drive, Thornhill Crescent, Dean Avenue, Salsbury Way, Savannah Avenue, McBriar Avenue, Sunnymead Way, Wascana Street, Charlton Road, Beaver Lake Road, Hunt Road.

What should I do if there’s a medical or safety emergency at my property and my road has not been treated?

Call 911. Emergency response agencies will contact us if the street requires treatment.

How do I report slippery or impassable roads or sidewalks?

Fill out a Report a Problem or call 250-475-5599 (8:00  AM– 4:30 PM Monday to Friday excluding statutory holidays.  These days and hours may vary in response to a winter storm event).

Motorists should use caution during winter road conditions. If you must go out, drive according to the road conditions in a vehicle properly equipped for winter driving or use BC Transit.

Why won’t a snowplow be dispatched to my street when I report a problem?

To maximize efficiencies, it is important crews stick to the pre-scheduled assigned priority routes:

• High traffic volume major and collector streets,
• Examples of Major streets include McKenzie, Quadra, Shelbourne, Cedar Hill
• Examples of Major Collectors include North Diary, Feltham, Reynolds
• Designated BC Transit bus routes
• Pre-identified steep hills.

• We also support emergency services such as Police, Fire and Ambulance.

• We support emergency services such as Police, Fire and Ambulance.

Snow plowing these priority routes will continue if adverse weather conditions exist. Once these routes stay drivable under winter road conditions, we then start on our lower traffic volume minor collector roads and residential streets scheduled for garbage collection.

Who clears sidewalks?

Well, that depends on where the sidewalk is:

1. Streets and Traffic Regulation Bylaw No. 8382 requires property owners or occupiers to keep sidewalks abutting private property clear of snow by 10:00 AM the morning following a snow fall.
2. The Parks Division clears sidewalks adjacent to their Parks and Recreation Facilities
3. Public Works clears sidewalks on designated bridges and pedestrian overpasses/underpasses and designated bus shelters along our road network.
4. Off Ramps and Highways,The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure manages all highway maintenance activities including snow clearing of our off-ramps and highways within Saanich. This service is contracted to EMCON Services Inc. who are available 24/7, year-round at 1-866-353-3136.

When are bike lanes cleared of snow?

Cyclists are to use caution when riding in winter conditions.

We have several distinct types of bike lanes and endeavor to treat marked unprotected bike lanes which are on our snow and ice priority routes. We are not equipped to treat protected bike lanes, such as those that have curbs/post or are raised/separated.

Why do some parking lots get plowed, and others don't?

Saanich Parks plows municipal facilities in priority sequencing.  Private lots are the responsibility of the owner of the property.