Who Has to Clear the Sidewalk in Front of Your House? Toronto, Mississauga and Brampton Rules (2026)

Verified October 16, 2026 against City of Toronto, City of Mississauga and City of Brampton sources.

The short answer: it depends on the city. In Toronto, City crews clear public sidewalks once 2 cm of snow has fallen, and you only have to clear the sidewalk yourself after a lighter snowfall, within 12 hours. In Mississauga, the City includes all sidewalks in its winter service, so most homeowners are not shovelling the public sidewalk. In Brampton, most homeowners and tenants must clear the sidewalk in front of their home by 11 a.m. the day after a snowfall ends. The City only clears certain sidewalks.

The rules look similar on a map but work very differently on your front step. This guide sets out who does what in each city, what happens if a sidewalk is left uncleared, and what to check when you buy or rent a home before winter.

Toronto vs Mississauga vs Brampton at a glance

Toronto: the City clears sidewalks after 2 cm

Toronto extended mechanical sidewalk clearing to the whole city in June 2021. Before that, about 1,230 km of sidewalks were left to property owners. Today the City says crews clear about 98% of sidewalks by machine and clear the rest by hand where obstructions or narrow spaces make machines impractical.

• When the City clears: crews start once snow is 2 cm deep and has stopped falling, or when icy conditions call for it.
• How long it takes: about 12 hours for a full round. Crews may go out more than once in a storm, and clearing can continue up to 72 hours after the snow stops.
• When you clear: if less than 2 cm falls, owners must clear the sidewalk next to their property within 12 hours after the snowfall ends. The rule sits in Chapter 719 of the Toronto Municipal Code.
• Your own property: the City asks owners to clear driveways, parking spaces, steps, ramps and landings within 24 hours after the snow ends.

A City staff report in November 2025 reviewed the sidewalk rules and advised against shifting clearing back to private owners, citing accessibility and enforcement concerns. It did not propose any change to service levels.

Mississauga: all sidewalks are part of the City’s service

Mississauga’s snow clearing page says all sidewalks are now treated as part of the City’s winter service. Clearing happens in two tiers:

• Priority sidewalks: along major roads and bus routes, and outside schools, hospitals and long-term care homes. These are done first and may keep some packed snow.
• Secondary sidewalks: this covers most residential streets and is done after the priority network.

The City plows when 5 cm or more has fallen. Below that, sidewalks are salted. The clock starts when the snow stops.

During a declared Significant Weather Event, these timelines are paused while crews focus on priority roads.

Two exceptions catch people out. Crews will not clear snow that a road plow has pushed up next to the sidewalk, and they will skip a section blocked by a parked car, garbage bins or sports equipment. The City’s page does not set out a homeowner duty to clear the public sidewalk, but if you want it clear sooner than the targets above, you can still shovel it, as long as the snow stays on your property.

Mississauga also started clearing driveway windrows in the 2025/2026 winter. Single, double and shared residential driveways get an opening at least 3 metres wide after the last plow pass on the street, within 4 hours for 5 to 15 cm and 6 hours for 15 to 30 cm. Condominiums, commercial properties and homes on private roads are not included, and the opening is not cleared to bare pavement or salted.

Brampton: most homeowners clear their own sidewalk

Brampton is the strictest of the three for homeowners. Under the City’s Snow and Ice Removal By-law (242-76), owners and occupants must clear snow, ice and slush from the sidewalk in front of their property by 11 a.m. the day after a snowfall ends.

Which sidewalks the City clears

For the 2025/2026 winter, the City said it would maintain 1,041 km of sidewalks fronting City-owned properties. Its levels of service page lists the types of sidewalk it looks after:

• sidewalks on arterial roads
• sidewalks in front of City parks and recreation facilities
• curb-faced sidewalks, where there is no grass boulevard between the sidewalk and the road
• reverse-frontage sidewalks, where the sidewalk runs behind a property
• sidewalks on roads with Brampton Transit or Züm bus stops

If your sidewalk is not in one of those groups, it is yours to clear. The City’s plow tracker map shows which sidewalks it maintains. Brampton has also said it would not add windrow or residential sidewalk clearing for the 2025/2026 season, and it does not clear driveway windrows.

What happens if you do not clear it

1. A neighbour or passer-by files a complaint through 311 (905-458-3424 from outside Brampton) or enforcement@brampton.ca.
2. A By-law Enforcement Officer inspects and may issue an Order to Comply, which gives you 8 hours to clear the sidewalk.
3. If it is still not done at re-inspection, the City hires a contractor and adds the cost plus administrative fees to the property tax account.

The City’s pages say late clearing can lead to a fine but do not publish an amount for an uncleared sidewalk, so we have not listed one here.

Winter parking matters for snow clearing too. Parked cars block plows, and Brampton’s parking exemptions are not valid during snow events. Our guide to overnight street parking in Brampton covers those rules.

Rules that apply in all three cities

• Do not put snow on the road. Toronto lists a $500 fine plus surcharge. Mississauga says it breaks the Highway Obstruction by-law. Brampton calls it fouling the highway, contrary to the Highway Traffic Act. Pile snow on your lawn or in the backyard instead.
• Clear the hydrant. All three cities ask residents to keep snow away from fire hydrants on or next to their property.
• Clear the catch basin if it is safe. Blocked drains cause ponding and ice when the snow melts.
• Move bins and cars. Sidewalk plows cannot get past garbage bins, basketball nets or a car parked across the sidewalk. Brampton asks residents to place bins about three feet from the curb on collection days during winter weather.
• Your driveway, steps and walkway are always yours. No city clears private property.

Help for seniors and people with disabilities

Brampton runs a Snow Removal Financial Assistance program that helps pay for a snow clearing contractor. For the 2026/2027 winter:

Toronto asks residents to help neighbours who are older or have a disability and points people who need help to 211 Ontario. Mississauga does not list a separate program on its snow clearing page; call 311 to ask what support is available.

What this means if you are buying or renting

Snow rules rarely come up in a showing, but they shape winter life in the house. A few things worth checking:

• Corner lots in Brampton can mean two sidewalks to clear by 11 a.m. That is twice the shovelling and, if you hire help, a bigger bill. Check the plow tracker to see whether the City maintains either side.
• Curb-faced and bus-stop sidewalks in Brampton are usually City-maintained, so two similar houses on nearby streets can have very different winter duties.
• Driveway length and windrows. In Brampton and Toronto you will usually clear the plow ridge yourself. A short driveway also leaves less room to pile snow on your own property. Our guide to Brampton driveway widening rules explains how much of a front yard can be paved.
• Tenants. Brampton’s by-law applies to owners and occupants. If you rent out a house or a basement unit, put who clears the sidewalk and driveway in writing.
• Condos and townhouses. Check the declaration or the POTL agreement to see whether the corporation clears walkways and driveways, and what that costs in fees.

Moving between the three cities? See our hubs for Toronto, Mississauga and Brampton, or read our home inspection checklist before you make an offer. If you are weighing specific homes, our team can go through the practical details with you. Here is how we help buyers.

FAQ

Sources

• City of Toronto, Clearing Snow and Ice from Your Property
• City of Toronto, Sidewalk Clearing Requirements and the Status of Modernizing PlowTO (staff report, November 2025)
• City of Mississauga, Snow clearing and Mississauga is ready for winter with more snow clearing services (November 6, 2025)
• City of Brampton, Sidewalk Snow Clearing, Levels of Service and Snow and Ice Removal
• City of Brampton, Snow Removal Financial Assistance
• City of Brampton, Keeping Brampton’s roads, sidewalks and trails safe and accessible all winter long (November 7, 2025)

Featured image: snowfall in Toronto, from the Local Toronto media library.

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Service levels are set each winter and can change, so check your city’s snow page or call 311 for a specific address. Local Toronto, HomeLife Landmark Realty Inc., Brokerage.