Spring, Summer & Fall Maintenance

Gravel roads are graded during the spring, summer, and fall months to eliminate potholes, gravel issues, and other surface deficiencies.

Maintenance gravel is added to road surfaces throughout the year where necessary to improve and maintain the integrity of the roads. Gravel placement is determined through road monitoring. Residents are asked to exercise caution when driving on roads that have recently received gravel maintenance.

A calcium chloride dust suppressant is applied to gravel road surfaces after spring grading to minimize dust and maintain the graded shape of the road throughout the summer months.

Fluctuation in winter weather creates the perfect conditions for spring pothole formation. The Operations Department regularly patrols the roads for potholes and takes steps to repair them quickly and effectively.

To report a pothole, please submit an Online Service Request.

Street sweeping occurs each spring to clear sand and debris left behind from the winter. Sand is collected, stockpiled, and recycled for the next winter season. Residents are asked to avoid parking on Town roads when sweepers are working in the area.

Roadside grass cutting improves road safety, visibility, and drainage by preventing weeds and grass from encroaching on roadways. Grass cutting usually occurs along roadsides in naturalized rural areas. 

Maintenance is completed through a contractor that operates specialized machinery to cut steep terrain and roadside ditches. Residents are asked to exercise caution when nearing or passing machinery. 

Brush and vegetation are removed from the roadside each year to ensure roads are safe and to improve sightlines for vehicles and cyclists. Brush clearing includes trimming hazardous vegetation, including low-hanging tree branches and shrubs, and removing dead trees.

To report a fallen tree on Town property, please submit an Online Service Request. 

If a fallen tree is blocking a roadway, please directly contact the Roads Emergency number 226-665-1640.

Winter maintenance of roads and sidewalks may result in accidental damage to boulevards. Boulevard repair and grass seeding are conducted in the spring and may extend into the summer.

To report boulevard damage, please submit an Online Service Request.

Annual shoulder grading reduces the risk of flooding on rural roads that do not have curbs or gutters. Shoulders are graded with gravel twice a year and are maintained as needed.

Foreign material gathers in roadside ditches over time, and needs to be removed by re-digging the ditch to ensure drainage continues to function. This helps to prevent flooding and erosion of roadways. The Town will conduct ditch maintenance on an as-needed basis between April and October of each year.

To report a shoulder that requires grading, please submit an Online Service Request.

Culverts are installed under roadways to carry out water. Inspections of culverts occur annually, while repairs and replacements are conducted as required. If culverts are more than 25% blocked, maintenance is required.

To report an issue with a culvert, please submit an Online Service Request.

Catch basins and storm drains are part of the storm sewer system. They collect meltwater and rainwater from roads and sidewalks. To prevent flooding, crews regularly monitor and clear basins and drains of debris. CCTV video inspections are performed annually to provide an inside look at the conditions of the storm sewer systems. These inspections allow crews to clear blockages and identify areas that could present future drainage problems.

Residents are asked to refrain from sweeping grass clippings and yard debris onto the streets to avoid blocking the basins and causing flooding.

To report a blockage or flooding, please contact the Operations Department.

Private garbage bins are allowed to be placed within the Town Road Allowance for waste collection. However, it is the property owner’s responsibility to properly locate the garbage bin so that it does not interfere with the maintenance of Town Roads, such as clearing snow or maintaining ditches. Garbage bins must not obscure or obstruct site lines of any vehicles and must not be located within any portion of the road ditch or the shoulder portion of the road.

For more information, please refer to the Garbage Bin Placement Process

Seasonal roadwork and construction projects may require the temporary closure of roadways. For a list of upcoming construction projects, please visit the Municipal Infrastructure Projects page. 

The Operations Department regularly inspects street signs. All damaged or defaced signs are replaced or repaired as required.

To report a damaged sign, please submit an Online Service Request.

Streetlights must be repaired if they are out (not working at night), broken or damaged, or continuously turning on and off.

Maintenance of traffic lights, including cleaning, re-lamping, controls, cabinet inspection, and conflict monitor checks, is performed annually or as needed. Emergency repairs are completed as soon as possible.

To report a damaged streetlight or traffic light, please submit an Online Service Request.

Guide rails are essential in protecting vehicles from striking fixed object hazards on roadsides and controlling and containing vehicle accidents. Road crews routinely inspect guide rails for damage or deterioration that may compromise their performance to keep guide rails adequately maintained.

During the late summer and fall months, road crews prepare heavy equipment for the winter season.

Detailed inspections and maintenance of engines, tires, cooling systems, batteries, and more are performed regularly to ensure that the winter fleet is safely prepared for service.

The noxious weed control program is regulated under the Weed Control Act and is used to control and eradicate wild chervil. Starting in 2023, the Town shifted to a reactive management strategy consisting of spot spraying and shared stewardship. If residents identify wild chervil within the road allowance fronting their property they are asked to either cut the chervil themselves before it goes to seed, or contact the Town's Operations Department to arrange a spot spraying treatment.

The Town has hired a licensed contractor to spray pesticides approved for use and regulated under the Pest Management Regulatory Agency and the Provincial Pesticide Act. The spraying occurs annually, typically over four consecutive days, in mid to late May. The Town will issue a formal notice through the website asking residents to report any sightings of wild chervil to be dealt with through spot spraying.

The Town's contractor will utilize a pesticide approved for use and regulated under the Pest Management Regulatory Agency and the Provincial Pesticide Act.

Residents will no longer have to opt out of pesticide spraying. If you identify Wild Chervil within the road allowance fronting your property, the Town asks that you either grub or cut the Chervil yourself before it goes to seed, or contact the Town's Operations Department to arrange a spot spraying treatment. Unmaintained sections of the Town's road allowance may still be sprayed if there is evidence of Wild Chervil.

Currently, there are no products approved for spraying Wild Chervil on private property, but residents are still responsible for destroying noxious weeds on their land. Taking the following steps can help eliminate Wild Chervil within the Town.

1. Report any Wild Chervil sightings to the Town

If you suspect or identify Wild Chervil growing on your property, please contact By-Law Services. If you suspect or identify Wild Chervil growing within the Town's Road Allowance, please contact the Operations Department.

How to identify Wild Chervil

2. Take action yourself

• Grubbing out or cutting to prevent wild chervil from going to seed.
• If the Wild Chervil has already flowered, cut and bag the plants and leave them in direct sunlight for several days. Then dispose of by burning or burying deep underground.
• Once the plant is removed, be careful not to move the infected soil and remember to thoroughly clean equipment, vehicles and footwear before leaving the infested site.