Winter wonderlands can be beautiful, but they also pose safety hazards due to the slippery conditions brought on by snow and ice. The City of White Rock regularly monitors two major weather forecaster providers in order to have enough time to prepare our trucks and crews ahead of any storm. We dispatch equipment as needed and apply a pre-salt to road surfaces.
To make the most of the available resources, our priority locations for snow and ice removal are:
- Major roads
- Bus routes
- Emergency access routes (including Peace Arch Hospital)
Below is the City's Snow Control Map showing priority routes. Click on the map to see an enlarged version or click here for the PDF.
Crews begin by clearing and salting priority 1 routes, then move to 2 and 3. Once all priority routes are cleared, they begin tackling non-priority routes. During times of continuous snowfall, crews return to clearing priority 1 routes as these routes are vital to travel in the City and are used by emergency services. Barricades are also set up to stop traffic from entering roads which become dangerous in inclement weather, such as steep hills like Oxford Street.
Our Parks crew works to clear sidewalks and parking lots at civic facilities. Once those priority areas are clear, they tackle walkways in the City, like the promenade. Like our roads snow removal crew, in times of continuous snowfall, the Parks crew will return to clearing priority sidewalks and parking lots.
To clear snow and ice, we use:
- 4 single-axle dump trucks (1 yard) with plows and salters
- 2 backhoes
- 1 walk-behind snow blower
- 1 salt shed
Learn more about snow and ice removal in the City of White Rock by viewing some pictures from recent snow and ice removal!
Following a snowfall, crews work around the clock at 1:30 a.m. to clear priority routes when the snow began falling.
Our trucks work by simultaneously salting/sanding and plowing roads. When roads are coated in significant amounts of snow, crews do this multiple times on the same road until the slippery conditions are mitigated. 
A mixture of salt and sand is used to coat the roads during icy, snowy conditions. The salt melts snow and ice while the sand provides traction on the roads. The mixture is made in the Public Works Yard. Since the beginning of December, 2016, we have dispersed over 120 tonnes of salt to keep your roads safe.
Road closures during a snowfall are put in place for your safety. These closures are often due to the steep and slippery conditions of the road. Please respect the closures and do not attempt to drive through these roads.
Please remember to clear snow and ice from your property.
White Rock property owners and occupants are required by City Bylaw to clear snow and ice from sidewalks surrounding their properties by 10:00 a.m. each morning after snowfall. Snow and ice can create hazardous conditions for many people, especially seniors and people with mobility challenges. Be a good neighbour and help clear snow ice from your neighbour’s sidewalks when you do your own. Get more snow shoveling tips here.