Overview
This page will define how the Grounds group (Grounds), a unit within the Facilities Management and Planning Department (FMP) at the University of Toronto Mississauga, organizes and executes snow and ice removal during weather events to minimize hazards for the safety of our campus community. This strategy will be reviewed and revised annually.
Snow removal priorities are outlined below. Grounds staff intend always to meet or exceed the City of Mississauga Winter Maintenance Standards.
Additional resources and information appear at the bottom of this page.
UTM Winter Snow and Ice Removals
There are five stages during a storm event.
- Before the storm begins, Grounds and material resources are deployed as part of Snow and Ice Removal procedures.
- Storm begins
- Priority #1 Areas are cleared
- Priority #2 Areas are cleared
- Priority #3 Areas are cleared
Snow and Ice Cleaning Timelines
Minor Event: Snow accumulation less than 5 cm
- Priority 1 areas within 2-3 hours
- Priority 2 areas within 6-8 hours
- Priority 3 areas within 8-12 hours
Significant Event: Snow accumulation 5 - 20 cm
- Priority 1 areas within 4-6 hours
- Priority 2 areas within 10-16 hours
- Priority 3 areas within 16-20 hours
Major Event: Snow accumulation greater than 20 cm
- Priority 1 areas within 6-8 hours
- Priority 2 areas within 12-18 hours
- Priority 3 areas within 18-24 hours
Priorities
Ensuing that all fire routes and barrier-free pathways and entrances remain open and de-iced throughout the snow/ice removal period is always Grounds’ first priority. Once priority areas are complete, a final snow clearing from curb to curb will occur with consideration of a number of factors including: current campus conditions, campus status (open/closed), projected weather forecasts, etc.
Priority #1 Areas
Priority #1 Areas include all barrier-free parking spaces (all locations) and all Emergency exits.
Campus roadways:
- Outer Circle Road
- Inner Circle Road
- Middle Road
- Principal’s Road
- Residence Road
- The Collegeway
- 5 Minute Walk
Parking ramps:
- P4, P8, P9 to CCT garage entrance door
Barrier-free building entrances:
- Academic Annex: Main
- Alumni House: Rear
- Culture, Communication & Technology: Main, Link, Connection with DV
- Deerfield Hall: Main, Field side
- Early Learning Centre: Main
- Erindale Studio Theatre: Main
- Hazel McCallion Academic Learning Centre: Main
- Health Science Complex: Main, Rear
- Instructional Centre: Main, North, South
- Maanjiwe nendamowinan: Main, Field side, Lot #1
- New Science Building: Main
- Recreation, Athletics and Wellness: Main
- Research Greenhouse: Main
- Student Centre: 5 Minute Walk side, Academic Annex side
- William G. Davis: Main, End of 5 Minute Walk, Connection with CCT
- Erindale Hall: Main, Rear x 2
- Oscar Peterson Hall: Main, Rear
- Roy Ivor Hall: Main
Priority #2 Areas
Secondary pathways/sidewalks – heavily used
Secondary stairs/stairwells
Parking lots (in order of priority):
- P9, William G. Davis (short term)
- P1
- P4 (deck)
- P8 (deck)
- P8 Extension
Priority #3 Areas
Convenience pathways/sidewalks – lightly used
Parking lots (in order of priority):
- P5
- P6
- P7
- P10
- P8 (lower)
- P4 (lower)
- P11
- Alumni House
- Lislehurst – nature trail parking spaces
Background:
Grounds begins preparations for snow removal in late October/early November, servicing trucks, plows and equipment, ordering de-icing materials and planning routes and schedules in order to be prepared for the first snow of the season:
- Equipment service/preparations – plows, salters, vehicles
- Place and fill salt boxes across campus
- Material orders – bulk road salt, non-chloride containing de-icing materials, etc.
- Closing off areas that do not receive winter maintenance
Monitoring and Staff Schedules:
Conditions are monitored 24 hours a day by Grounds senior staff and Campus Safety. Weather forecasts from Environment Canada and and the Winter Weather App are utilized as a proactive and ongoing approach for the decision-making process.
Occasionally, when staff are not on campus, Grounds may contact the Campus Safety office to inquire about the weather conditions on campus in order to assist with accurate and appropriate evaluation of site-specific conditions.
Grounds staff are on campus seven days a week, Monday to Friday 6 am to 8:30 pm and Saturdays and Sundays 8 am to 4:30 pm. Staff schedules and hours are adjusted based on weather conditions and current campus conditions to provide 24-hour coverage, if necessary. During statutory holidays and the holiday closure Grounds is available on a call-in basis.
Available staff and equipment are scheduled, assigned, and reassigned to ensure winter hazards are mitigated as conditions dictate.
Unexpected Weather Events:
When unexpected snow or icy conditions occur, Campus Safety will report current campus conditions to the Grounds Supervisor, or designed, who will schedule Grounds Staff to begin removal process/work.
Snow and Ice Removal Procedures:
Grounds follows a detailed process for systematic snow and ice removal:
- Application of salt brine and other de-icing materials in anticipation of a weather event, when conditions permit.
- When surfaces become icy, salting begins
- When depth of snow on surfaces exceeds 5 cm, plowing begins.
- During an extreme weather event, it may be necessary to continually return higher priority areas while other areas with lower on the priority list may have to wait for the event to subside.
- Senior Grounds staff members keep a snow log, detailing the date, staff present, staff start times, vehicle assignments, materials used and weather conditions to assist with debriefing following a weather event.
UTM Winter Snow and Ice Removals
There are five stages during a storm event.
- Before the storm begins, Grounds and material resources are deployed
- Storm begins
- Priority #1 Areas are cleared
- Priority #2 Areas are cleared
- Priority #3 Areas are cleared
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