It’s that time of year again, and the snow is falling in Hamilton. I wanted to remind everyone that Hamilton’s by-laws make clearing snow from sidewalks the responsibility of the owners or occupants of buildings adjacent. This must be done within 24 hours of a snowfall.
If there’s a property owner who is not clearing snow off the sidewalk in front of his or her property, the only way that the City of Hamilton can effectively enforce the by-law is to receive complaints about the property. To register a complaint about a property that has not cleared its snow
24 hours after a snow fall, you can use the
City of Hamilton’s online form, call 905-546-2782, or e-mail
mle@hamilton.ca.
Everyone deserves a sidewalk that is safe to travel on, but it’s of particular importance to older people; children; and people with mobility issues. These people already have large barriers to getting out of the house and taking an active role in the community, and it can be an even bigger challenge during wintertime. For better or worse, the City of Hamilton has made clearing sidewalks a shared responsibility, and we all need to make sure it’s performed.
When I posted this last year, a few people commented that the municipality itself does a poor job of clearing snow from sidewalks adjacent to their own properties. I spoke with folks at property standards last year about a few different locations where the City was not clearing snow quickly, and they seemed to welcome the feedback. By all means, complain, and they will be prioritized. Otherwise, they will assume no one cares. It’s a poor system, but it’s the one we currently need to work within, and it really is important that the sidewalks be safe for everyone at all times of year.