Who clears sidewalks in Ajax, the Town or the homeowner?
Both, depending on the sidewalk. Town plows clear about 150 km of Ajax's 400 km of sidewalk, starting with primary sidewalks along regional roads and main Town roads. That first pass begins while it is still snowing and can take up to 16 hours to complete.
The sidewalk in front of your own home is your job. Under the Town's Public Nuisance and Safety By-law (46-2025), owners and occupiers must remove snow and ice, including any windrow, from sidewalks bordering their property within 24 hours of a snowfall or ice forming. Skip it and the fine can be applied to your property taxes.
That 24 hour window matters more than it sounds. Ajax sits in a freeze-thaw belt, so a skipped shovelling day often turns into black ice by the next morning. If you salt the sidewalk yourself, choose a product that is safe for paws and concrete; our pet-safe ice melt guide covers what to use.
The 24 hour rule in one line
Once snow stops falling, you have 24 hours to clear the sidewalk bordering your property, including any windrow left on it, or you can face a fine that gets added to your property taxes.
What is the Town of Ajax windrow program, and who qualifies?
The windrow is the ridge of heavy, packed snow the municipal plow leaves across the bottom of your driveway. The Town of Ajax runs a snow removal assistance program that deals with it, but only for a narrow group: residents 65 and over with no able-bodied person under 65 living in the home, or residents who cannot do the work because of a physical disability confirmed by a doctor's note.
For those who qualify, the program covers the driveway, a path to the front door, and the windrow, or a sidewalk and windrow option. Salting is not included and fees apply, so confirm current rates with the Town. Service activates after a snowfall of more than 5 cm and arrives roughly 24 hours after the snow stops, once Town roads are done.
- Confirm you qualify.You must be 65 or older with no able-bodied person under 65 at home, or have a physical disability supported by a doctor's note.
- Complete the annual application.A new form is required every winter; enrolment does not carry over from season to season.
- Submit it to Operations and Environmental Services.Call 905-683-2951, Monday to Friday between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., to get the form and current fees.
- Wait for confirmation.Applicants are added to the program within seven days of the application being processed.
Everyone else is responsible for their own windrow, and it is usually the heaviest, iciest snow on the property. This windrow removal explainer covers why it forms and why it is so hard to shovel.
Can you park on the street during a snowstorm in Ajax?
No. Ajax limits on-street parking to 3 hours unless posted otherwise, and prohibits overnight parking between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. without a permit. During winter the rules tighten further: occasional use parking permits are not valid during active snow events, which can include the days before, during, and after a storm while plowing or salting is under way.
A car left on the street during plowing can be ticketed and towed, and it forces the plow to swing around it, leaving a strip of packed snow that hardens into ice. When flurries are in the forecast, get every vehicle into the driveway; the Ajax snow forecast is a quick way to check what is coming.
Is it legal to shovel snow onto the road in Ajax?
No. The same Town bylaw prohibits shovelling, plowing, or blowing snow from any property onto or across a roadway, a sidewalk, or a pedestrian walkway, or onto another property, without authorization. That includes the tempting move of pushing the windrow back into the street.
Pile snow on your own lawn or garden beds instead. If you have room, load the side of the driveway the plow passes last, which is the right side as you face the street, so the next pass drags less of it back across your entrance.
What are the winter rules for fire hydrants?
If a hydrant sits on or borders your property, the bylaw requires you to clear snow and ice from it within the same 24 hour window that applies to sidewalks. Ajax Fire and Emergency Services asks residents to keep about a metre of clear space around every hydrant so crews can find it and connect fast.
Parking rules back this up: no vehicle may park within 3 metres of a hydrant at any time of year. Seconds matter in a house fire, and a hydrant buried under windrow snow costs exactly that.
Which roads does Ajax plow first?
Town crews maintain over 400 km of roads, 150 km of sidewalks, 37 km of trails, 27 parking lots, and 53 school crossings, and they work through that network in a fixed order.
| Road class | What it covers | Order |
|---|---|---|
| Primary | Main routes connecting to regional roads, schools, community centres, and commercial areas; clearing starts while snow is still falling | 1st |
| Secondary | Collector streets; the Town lists Williamson, Ravenscroft, and Monarch among its examples | 2nd |
| Tertiary | Residential streets and courts, plus sidewalks, trails, and Town parking lots | 3rd |
The quiet courts and crescents of Nottingham, Applecroft, and Salem Heights are tertiary, so your street is often plowed hours after Williamson and the main corridors, and the driveway windrow arrives with it. With Ajax averaging roughly 105-120 cm of snow across 15-25 plowable events each winter, that cycle repeats all season; our guide to when it snows in Ajax breaks it down month by month.
What does the Town not clear at your house?
The short list: your driveway, your front walkway and steps, and the windrow across your driveway, unless you qualify for the assistance program above. Town plows exist to keep 400 km of roads open, not to finish your property.
That gap is what North Ajax Snow Removal covers. We clear driveways, front walkways, steps, and the municipal plow windrow for homes in North Ajax at a 5 cm trigger, insured, with every visit photo-documented. Seasonal driveway snow clearing packages start at $599 for the winter, with full details in our pricing section.
Questions about snow rules & bylaws
Do I have to shovel the sidewalk in front of my house in Ajax?
Yes. Ajax's Public Nuisance and Safety By-law requires owners and occupiers to clear snow and ice, including any windrow, from sidewalks bordering their property within 24 hours of a snowfall or ice forming. Fines for skipping it can be applied to your property taxes. Town plows handle about 150 km of primary sidewalk along main roads, but the stretch in front of your home stays your responsibility.
How do I apply for the Town of Ajax windrow and snow removal program?
Contact Operations and Environmental Services at 905-683-2951, Monday to Friday between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., and complete the application form. You must reapply every year, a physical disability claim needs a doctor's note, and set fees apply. Applicants are added within seven days of processing, and service runs after snowfalls of more than 5 cm, roughly 24 hours after the snow stops.
Does the Town of Ajax clear residential driveways or windrows?
Not for most households. Driveways, private walkways, and the windrow the plow leaves across your driveway are the homeowner's responsibility. The one exception is the Town's assistance program, limited to residents 65 and over with no able-bodied person under 65 at home, or residents with a qualifying physical disability. Everyone else shovels it themselves or hires a private service for the season.
Can I park on the street overnight in Ajax during winter?
Only with a valid permit, and even permits fail during storms. Ajax prohibits overnight parking between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. and limits street parking to 3 hours otherwise. Occasional use parking permits are not valid during active snow events, including the days before, during, and after a storm when plowing or salting is under way, so plan on driveway parking whenever snow is forecast.
What happens if I shovel or blow snow onto the road in Ajax?
The Town's bylaw prohibits shovelling, plowing, or blowing snow from private property onto or across a roadway, sidewalk, or pedestrian walkway, or onto another property. Beyond the bylaw, snow pushed onto a plowed road refreezes into ice that catches drivers and pedestrians off guard. Keep piles on your own lawn, ideally on the side of the driveway the plow passes last.
When will my residential street in North Ajax be plowed after a storm?
After the primary and secondary roads are done. Ajax clears primary routes first, starting while snow is still falling, then collector streets such as Williamson, then tertiary residential streets along with sidewalks, trails, and parking lots. The Town does not publish an hour-by-hour schedule, so a court in Nottingham or Applecroft can wait well after the main corridors are clear, and the windrow lands last.