Here is when roads and sidewalks will be cleared of snow this winter in Ottawa

A plow clears snow after a blizzard dumped a record 47.8 cm of snow in Ottawa on Monday, Jan. 17, 2022. (Jim O'Grady/CTV News Ottawa)

The city of Ottawa says its team is ready for the first significant snowfall of the year, as a winter storm brings up to 15 cm of snow mixed with ice pellets and freezing rain to the capital on Sunday and Monday.

"All available resources will be deployed to respond, and this event will take some time to clean up," the city said in a statement on Sunday.

The city has a fleet of 575 pieces of equipment for its winter operations, including snowplows.

The city says snow clearing is done using a "road-priority system," with high-use, emergency and transit routes cleared first. Here is a look at when roads and sidewalks will be plowed during significant snowfall events, according to the city's website:

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At the start of accumulation:

• Highway 174, the Transitway, major roads and arterials.
• After the last snowflake has fallen, these routes may take 2 to 4 hours to complete.   

2.5 centimetres accumulation:

• Sidewalks in the downtown core and the winter cycling network.
• After the last snowflake has fallen, these routes may take up to 4 hours to complete.

5 centimetres accumulation:

• Secondary roads and minor collectors such as Wall Road, Dovercourt Avenue, Donald Street, Springbrook Drive, etc.
• After the last snowflake has fallen, these routes may take up to 6 hours to complete.

5 centimetres accumulation:

• Residential sidewalks.
• After the last snowflake has fallen, these routes may take 12 to 16 hours to complete.

7 or more centimetres of accumulation:

• Residential roads and lanes such as Billings Bridge, Waverley Street, Smith Road, etc.
• After the last snowflake has fallen, these routes may take 10 to 16 hours to complete.

A look at when roads will be cleared of snow during snowfall events in Ottawa. (City of Ottawa/website)

New blades for snowplows

Ottawa's full feet of larger snowplows will have new rubber-edged blades by the end of the month.

Staff say all steel plow blades will be replaced with rubber blades, "which helps the plow follow the contours of the road better and allows for improved snow and ice removal."

Councillors can track snowplows

New this winter, Ottawa councillors will have access to GPS data to see if winter maintenance has been completed on a roadway or sidewalk in their wards.

The GPS equipment has been updated on all winter operations equipment.

"With this update staff are now able to see if a roadway or sidewalk plow has completed its beat and when the piece of equipment was there through a telematics software called Geotab," staff said in a report for the Transportation Committee last month. "This winter, councillors will have access to Geotab to be able to see if winter maintenance has been completed on a roadway/sidewalk."

Shovelling staircases

City staff will be shovelling the snow off the staircases at the Flora Footbridge and the Corktown Footbridge this winter.

Councillors Shawn Menard and Ariel Troster says they have worked with staff to ensure the stairs will be maintained through the winter.

"No more gates," Menard said.

The city says only stairways that have no ramp or alternative access point to a pathway within a "reasonable distance" are winter maintained, and ramps are "prioritized over stairways for winter maintenance."