MPWANS Conference
The Feedback Loop
Visitors
News
eSERVICES
Employment Opportunities
Contact
Sidewalks & Snow Removal
Sidewalks & Snow Removal

Sidewalks & Snow Removal

The Municipality of Inverness County is responsible for the snow clearing of sidewalks in Chéticamp, Whycocomagh, Inverness, Mabou and Port Hood.

Sidewalk Maintenance Approach

The Municipality’s Sidewalk Maintenance Policy outlines how these sidewalks are addressed during winter conditions.

  • When snow or freezing rain is reasonably forecast, crews may apply salt and/or sand in advance.
  • Following a storm, the Municipality aims to clear sidewalks within 24 hours of the storm’s completion, including access points at marked crosswalks.
  • Fire hydrants are cleared within 72 hours to ensure accessibility. The most frequently used and highest‑priority hydrants, such as those located near schools, hospitals, and other critical facilities, are cleared first.
  • These timelines apply year-round, including weekends and holidays.

Priorities

  • The timing of snow clearing operations is determined by designated municipal staff and is based on several factors such as weather forecasts, wind, drifting snow, and safety considerations.
  • When safe to do so, staff mobilize at 6 a.m. to begin snow removal operations.
  • Parking lots of municipal facilities are cleared first, then water/wastewater treatment plants and lift stations.
  • Once these areas are cleared, staff move on to sidewalk snow clearing.
  • In cases of exceptional weather or infrastructure emergencies, snow clearing timelines may be extended to ensure staff safety or to address urgent priorities.

Public Works Quicklinks

Salt Supply

Although every effort is made to plan for sufficient salt storage, the municipality does not have facilities to store salt in bulk. Therefore, the municipality is subject to supply chain demand. In some instances, as is this case this winter (2026), there is a national shortage of road salt. In addition, when the temperature drops, salt is not effective.

Exercise Caution

  • The Municipality works hard to keep sidewalks maintained throughout the winter season. However, weather conditions can change quickly, so residents are encouraged to use caution when travelling on sidewalks during and after snowfall.
  • Practice basic precautions for winter walking:

What You Can Do:

  • As residents, do not park your vehicle on the sidewalk or dump snow from your property onto the sidewalk.
  • Please do not take out your frustrations on plow drivers. The Municipality does not tolerate or condone aggressive behaviour towards its workers.

Please note, the Municipality of Inverness County is operating with a great, dedicated crew who are often on call around the clock to enable a reliable response to adverse weather events.

Questions or Concerns:

Additional Information about Snow Clearing of Municipal Roads

  • Roads owned and maintained (including snow removal) by the Municipality of Inverness County can be found here: Municipal-Roads-October-2025.pdf .
  • All other roads are owned and maintained (including snow removal) by the Province of Nova Scotia’s Department of Public Works or are privately/owned maintained.
  • Should you have a question or concern about snow clearing, please contact:
    • Provincially owned roads: Call the provincial Operations Contact Centre toll-free at 1-844-696-7737
    • Municipally owned roads: Call toll-free 1-866-258-0223, select option #4 or email public.works@invernesscounty.ca .
  • If interested in learning more about plowing service times for provincially owned roads, visit WinterMaintenanceStandards.pdf .
  • You can also check out other Nova Scotia Department of Public Works resources that may help during a winter storm: