Planting & finishing
Design & Build
One plan for the whole yard, from the first layout to the finished build.
Go to Design & BuildPool Installation
Fibreglass, vinyl liner and concrete pools, with the patio, fence and landscaping around them.
Pool Installation overviewFire Features
Gas fire pits, wood fire pits and outdoor fireplaces, planned around your city's burn rules.
Fire Features overviewWater Features
Ponds, pondless waterfalls and fountains, with the depth, power and winter care planned first.
Water Features overviewRetaining Walls
Armour stone, interlocking block and natural stone walls, built to hold the grade.
Retaining Walls overviewPrepare the site
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Lot plowing, sidewalk crews and salt & ice control for commercial, multi-residential and institutional sites in Hamilton, Burlington and Oakville. Planned before the first storm, written into the contract, and done to the The written standard a site is kept to. you choose.
Certificate of insurance and WSIB clearance on requestAlso need summer grounds care? See commercial landscape maintenance →
| Month | Snowfall (cm) | Snowfall (inches) |
|---|---|---|
| Nov | 11.0 | 4.3 |
| Dec | 33.5 | 13.2 |
| Jan | 40.8 | 16.1 |
| Feb | 35.1 | 13.8 |
| Mar | 26.5 | 10.4 |
| Apr | 8.4 | 3.3 |
Source: Environment and Climate Change Canada climate normals, 1981–2010.
snow in an average year at Hamilton Airport
at the lakeside Royal Botanical Gardens station. Snowfall changes across the area, so plans should fit the site.
a year with measurable snowfall
a year that freeze and thaw (City of Hamilton climate report, 1976–2005 baseline)
In Hamilton, refreeze (ice forming overnight) is the hazard to plan for. Meltwater from piles, roofs and shaded walks freezes overnight. That's why the plan covers where piles go and when walks get rechecked.
Every storm runs through the same five stages. Pick a storm type to see what changes.
Site walk. We agree priority areas, storage areas, trigger depths and what goes in the record. Curbs and edges are staked so they can be found under snow.
Forecast watch. Where the site and forecast suit it, walks and entrances are pre-treated so ice can't bond. Treating pavement before a storm so ice can’t bond to it. works best shortly before precipitation starts.
Plowing starts when snow reaches your trigger depth. Entrances, walks, ramps and accessible stalls are kept open first.
Clean-up plowing to open every stall, final salting, and piles pushed back from drains and sightlines. In Hamilton, City sidewalks next to your property must be cleared within 24 hours after the snow stops.
What was done, when, and what was applied, written down for each event.
See what a good record includes ↓Times show planning stages, not promised arrival times. Visits follow your written contract.
A good snow plan is a drawing, not a promise. It shows what's cleared first, where piles go, and where snow never goes.
Storage is planned before the first storm, because a pile in the wrong place causes ice for the rest of the winter.
Some spots stay free of piles all winter, for safety and because the law says so.
This is what a finished snow plan looks like. A real one is drawn for your property and agreed before winter.
The plan sets the order, so the parts of the site people need most open first.
Ontario public snow specs we reviewed start plowing between 2 and 5 cm.
Ice control: Based on conditions (recommended)
Hauling snow off site isn't part of our service, so storage space matters.
Level of service: substantially clear of hazards. Service start: open by 7 a.m. Days: Weekdays Trigger depth (plowing starts): 5 cm Keep up during long storms: Yes Walk trigger (walk clearing starts): Any accumulation City sidewalk along frontage: Not sure Ice control: based on conditions Pre-treat before forecast ice where it suits the site: Yes Low-salt areas: None selected Priorities, in order: Main entrances → Accessible parking & routes → Fire routes & hydrants → Ramps & steps → Loading docks → Drive aisles → Perimeter parking Snow storage: Help us plan storage Records wanted: Arrival and departure times; Areas serviced; Material type and amount; Weather and pavement conditions; Areas left untreated, and why; A season salt summary Contract preference (to discuss): Not sure Term: One season
Industry procurement standards say a contract shouldn't promise more than 'substantially clear of hazards'. No one can promise bare, ice-free pavement during a storm. SIMA procurement standard (PDF) ↗
This is your spec, not a price. We confirm it on a site walk.Pavement temperature, not air temperature, decides how well salt works.
−12 to −7 °C: Practical limit for rock salt
Tick at −9 °C: Hamilton's average January low (air temperature)
At −1 °C, one kilogram of dry salt melts about 46 kg of ice in 5 minutes.
At −9 °C, the same salt melts about 6 kg of ice, and it takes about an hour. Sources put rock salt's practical limit between −7 °C and −12 °C.
Plain rock salt barely works here. The usual options are pre-wetted salt, blended products, sand for traction, and clearing by hand or machine.
Below about −21 °C, dry salt won't melt ice at all.
Snow contracts are priced a few different ways. Each one shifts risk between you and the contractor. Here's how they compare.
Average: about 156 cm, Hamilton Airport normal
One price for the season, often in monthly payments.
Watch for: You pay the same in a light winter. Check how many events are included.
Fixed price up to a set number of events or centimetres, then per event.
Watch for: Know exactly where the cap sits and what extra events cost.
A set price per storm, often in depth bands.
Watch for: How a long, multi-day storm is counted.
Billed each time the crew services the site.
Watch for: More visits mean higher bills. Agree what counts as a push.
Hours and material billed as used.
Watch for: Paying by the bag or tonne can encourage using more salt than needed.
Based on Ontario procurement guidance from the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority and industry sources. Ask us which structure fits your site.
Since January 29, 2021, someone hurt by snow or ice on private property generally has to give written notice within 60 days before suing the occupier or its snow contractor.
The notice must state the date, time and location. It's served in person or by registered mail.
If you receive one, the law says to pass copies to your snow contractor and any other occupier. Do it the same day.
There are exceptions, such as when the person dies or a judge finds a reasonable excuse. The usual two-year limitation period still applies.
It's a notice rule, not immunity. What protects you is a clear record of what was done and when.
General information, not legal advice.
Your contract should say what record you get after each event. Ask any contractor, including us, for a sample before you sign.
Entrances and fire routes open before stores do.
Shift changes, loading docks and truck routes.
Walks, ramps and visitor parking, every day of the week.
Walks and drop-off loops before the bell.
Entrances, ramps and walks first, every time.
Snow and ice injury claims against an occupier or its contractor generally need written notice within 60 days.
Read the guide →Owners and occupants must clear City sidewalks next to their property, including corner ramps, within 24 hours after snow stops falling (By-law 03-296). Otherwise the City can clear them and bill the owner.
The City of Burlington and the Town of Oakville clear public sidewalks themselves. Check any site-specific rules before winter.
Ontario's Highway Traffic Act (s.181) bans depositing snow or ice on a roadway without written permission.
Ontario's accessibility standards require many organizations to plan maintenance of accessible outdoor elements, such as exterior paths and accessible parking. A snow plan can put these first, in writing.
Chloride from salt harms streams and drinking-water sources. Canada's long-term water quality guideline for chloride is 120 mg/L. The federal road-salt code covers public roads, not private lots, but its practices are a good standard.
Short summaries for planning. Check them against the current rules, your municipality’s conditions and your design professional. General information, not legal advice.
Ideally before fall. SIMA's procurement standard suggests issuing requests for proposals by May and awarding by September 1, so contractors can plan routes and crews. If you're past that, ask anyway. We'll tell you honestly whether we can take your site.
The snow depth at which plowing starts, written into the contract. Ontario public specs we reviewed use 2 to 5 cm. Ice is different: salting should start when surfaces ice up, not at a depth.
No. We plow to planned storage areas on the property. If a site has no room to store snow, we'll tell you before winter so you can arrange hauling.
No one can during a storm. Industry standards describe the goal as 'substantially clear of hazards'. Your contract sets triggers, priorities and return visits so the site gets there and stays there.
By plowing well first, salting to conditions and pavement temperature instead of a fixed schedule, and using less near plantings and doors. Less salt also means less damage to concrete, pavers, plants and floors.
Where the by-law makes you responsible, we can add them to your scope. In Hamilton, that's within 24 hours after the snow stops.
Send copies to your snow contractor and any other occupier the same day, pull the records for that date, tell your insurer and get legal advice. See the checklist above. This is general information, not legal advice.
Hamilton (including Ancaster, Dundas, Stoney Creek and Waterdown), Burlington and Oakville.
Tell us about the site. We'll walk it, agree the plan, and send a written proposal.
