Declaration of a Significant Weather Event
When weather conditions affect road maintenance, Peel Region may need to declare a Significant Weather Event.
Hazardous weather conditions can make it dangerous to drive and walk on Regional roads. When this happens, a municipality can declare a Declaration of a Significant Weather Event on the roads it maintains.
Weather Warnings can initiate a Significant Weather Event
Environment Canada issues a Weather Warning when hazardous weather conditions are expected or ongoing.
These hazardous conditions include:
- Significant snow accumulation during a 24-hour period.
- Ice formation that wasn't predicted.
- High winds leading to blowing snow and large snow drifts.
- Extreme cold temperatures when de-icing won't be as effective.
Peel Region sets standard amounts of time (standard timelines) for clearing its roadways and designated bike lanes.
We evaluate Weather Warnings to see if predicted weather conditions might affect our standard timelines. If so, we can declare a Significant Weather Event. During a Significant Weather Event:
- Regional service levels do not change, but winter clearing activities may take longer to complete. Crews will continue to work on clearing roadways, turn lanes and crosswalks until the weather event has ended.
- It may take longer than usual to get roads and bike lanes cleared and back to normal.
How to stay safe during a Significant Weather Event
A Significant Weather Event means there are ongoing, hazardous road conditions that will make it difficult to drive and walk on regional roads.
When we declare a Significant Weather Event, we may recommend staying off the roads and bike lanes and staying home, if possible.
If you must go out, drive with caution. Stay a safe distance away from maintenance vehicles to give them space to work.
A Significant Weather Event can apply to different weather zones
Peel Region has 5 weather zones.
When we declare a weather event it generally applies to all Regional roads. It can, however, effect just one area of Peel.
How to know if there's a Significant Weather Event
We always communicate weather declarations on the Peel Region website and on Twitter @PeelPublicWorks.
The City of Brampton, the City of Mississauga, and the Town of Caledon might declare a Significant Weather Event at the same time. Check their websites to see which roads are affected.
We'll declare the end of a Significant Weather Event when it's appropriate to do so. The usual service levels for plowing, clearing snow and ice and de-icing will then resume.
Follow us on Twitter @PeelPublicWorks for up-to-date information on road maintenance activities.
