MISSISSAUGA — For the first time ever, Mississauga homeowners won’t have to battle the dreaded snowbanks at the end of their driveways this winter. City crews will now clear heavy snow and ice windrows from all residential driveways as part of an expanded winter maintenance program launching for the 2025–26 season.
The long-awaited service comes after years of resident complaints and council debates about accessibility and safety during major snowfalls. “After the snowplow passes, we’ll clear the portion of snow at the end of your driveway so it stays accessible,” city officials confirmed in an online announcement. “Snow along the curb will not be cleared.”
The citywide driveway windrow removal program replaces the previous system, which was limited to older adults and residents with mobility challenges. Now, every household will benefit from a 10-foot-wide opening cleared at the end of their driveway following each storm.
To ensure crews can do their work efficiently, residents are asked to:
- Avoid parking on streets, sidewalks, or at the end of driveways.
- Move garbage and recycling bins away from the curb.
- Remove sports nets, planters, and other obstructions from driveway entrances.
“Driveways blocked by parked cars or bins will not be cleared,” the city warned.
The service expansion comes with a $21-per-household charge, included in the $224 average property tax increase for 2025. The updated winter maintenance plan also covers secondary sidewalk clearing ($7) and enhanced snow removal for bike lanes ($1).
Mississauga now joins other GTA municipalities like Toronto, Richmond Hill, and Vaughan, which already offer citywide windrow clearing.
The issue of windrows — those dense, icy mounds left behind by plows — has long frustrated Mississauga residents, especially after severe winter storms in 2022 and 2023 left many homeowners trapped in their driveways. Complaints poured in to councillors, and tensions escalated when snowplow operators were verbally and physically confronted during cleanup efforts.
City council initially balked at the $11.6 million annual cost of a citywide program in 2023, but persistent public demand and safety concerns led to the program’s eventual approval in late 2024.
Now, as the city braces for another snowy season, officials are optimistic that the new service will bring relief — and peace — to thousands of weary shovellers across Mississauga.