Snow Clearing

• Provincial highways (401 and 416) are maintained by the Ontario Ministry of Transportation.
• County roads are maintained by the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville and connect municipalities across the region.
• Township roads are local roads maintained by the Township of Edwardsburgh Cardinal.

Township staff monitor the weather and patrols roadways daily, seven days a week during the winter months

Plowing starts when snow reaches eight cm or roads become icy.

We maintain 196 km of road, 392 km when counting both lanes. This includes both paved and gravel surfaces.

During a winter event, plows operate between 4 a.m. and 6 p.m. using seven designated routes. It can take up to 12 hours after a storm ends to clear all driving lanes.

Every plow route has a start and end point. Your street may be later on the route. Even if you see a plow nearby, it may not be the one assigned to your street. It can take up to 12 hours after a storm ends to clear driving lanes after a storm ends

The plow may be out of service or en route to its assigned area. County and contractor vehicles may also use Township roads to reach other sites. They are commonly mistaken for Township plows.

After the initial plow pass, we return to widen roads, expose catch basins, and clear around parked vehicles. This helps with drainage and safety.

For safety, children should never play on snowbanks or build tunnels, forts, or slides near roads or sidewalks. Snow plow operators may not see them, especially during active snow clearing. Please supervise children and keep them a safe distance from plowing operations.

Plows cannot operate where vehicles are parked on both sides of the road. If they can’t get through, they’ll return later—possibly the next day.

• Keep vehicles off the road during and for 48 hours after storms end
• If you need to park on the street, make sure vehicles are staggered—not parked directly across from each other—to allow plows enough space to pass through safely.
• Follow winter parking rules (no parking 1 a.m.–7 a.m., Nov 1–Apr 15)

No. Pushing snow onto or across the road is illegal under the Highway Traffic Act and can create dangerous conditions.

The Township maintains sidewalks in Cardinal and Spencerville. Primary sidewalks in commercial and institutional areas are cleared within 48 hours after a storm with five cm or more of snow.

Because many Township sidewalks are close to the road, snow from passing plows can end up back on sidewalks after they’ve been cleared. This is difficult to avoid due to limited snow storage space. Crews will return to remove the snow from the sidewalk as soon as possible.

No. We do not clear private sidewalks or walkways leading from Township sidewalks.

Because of their fixed blade and wing design, plows are built to push snow to the roadside and into ditches. This is a normal part of operation and cannot be avoided.

Clearing driveway entrances is the homeowner’s responsibility. For more information, refer to our Entranceway Bylaw.

We may return to widen roads or improve visibility around snow banks, which can lead to more snow in driveways.

Rural mailboxes must be sturdy enough to withstand the force of snow thrown during normal plowing operations and should be properly maintained throughout the year.

We are not responsible for damage caused by snow discharge. We will replace a mailbox if there is clear evidence it was hit by our plow. 

If you live on a County road, contact the County Roads Department with concerns.

Property owners are responsible for clearing snow from private driveway entrances and around mailboxes.

In an emergency, call 9-1-1. If emergency vehicles need access, they will contact us directly and we will respond immediately.

We are not able to prioritize snow clearing for personal appointments, work, or school. All crews and equipment follow assigned routes, and diverting them would delay service across the Township.

On main streets in our villages, we work to clear access between roads and sidewalks as time and resources allow. Snowbanks in these areas may take longer to remove, but our crews make every effort to keep key walkways open and accessible.

Yes, please keep hydrants clear to help emergency crews respond quickly.

If grass or gravel shoulder damage occurs, contact us. We will repair it in spring. We do not repair or replace specialty concrete, paver stone, asphalt on driveways or aprons that may be damaged.

If you believe your vehicle was damaged, report it to your insurer and call us at 613-658-3055.

If it’s been more than 48 hours since the storm ended, please contact us. Crews may have been delayed due to parked cars, mechanical issues, or detours.

Please see above.