Frequently Asked Questions

How wide can my driveway be?

The zoning by-laws of the Town of Shelburne regulate the size and locations of driveways. Depending on the location of your property, the zoning by-law will place a limit on how wide, how large, or where your driveway can be located. 

For questions about how wide your driveway can be or where driveways are allowed, please email the planning department at planning@shelburne.ca 

Can I park on the street?

Why does it take so long to repaint the line each year?

Ground temperature must warm up so that the paint will adhere properly.  The line painting is weather dependent as the paint being used is water based it is not advisable to paint during forecasted rainy weeks.

Line painting will start after Shelburne’s roads are swept and cleaned.  This is also a weather dependent task.

Paint operations are causing traffic backups, can we pass the warning trucks?

The intent of the warning trucks behind the line painter, is to provide enough space in between to allow for paint to dry. If you cross the centerline to pass line painting operations, chances are that your vehicle will end up with paint on it. Please be patient and follow the direction of the marking vehicles.

 What is a Pot Hole?

A pot hole is a type of failure in a road surface that typically is caused by a combination of traffic and water saturating the soil material under the road.

On a paved road during a freeze thaw cycle, the water will expand causing the road to crack. This then allows more water to enter the base material causing further loss of material. Eventually, the asphalt layer over these divots collapses, creating potholes. Similarly, a gravel road may become saturated with water and as vehicles travel over the surface the finer materials in the gravel are lost allowing a pot hole to develop.

Should you notice a pothole that needs immediate attention, please contact the Public Works Department at 519-925-2600 ext 261, email or report online by completing the Report a Compliment or Concern form providing the following information to assist crews in locating the pothole:

• Name of street

• Direction and lane (i.e., northbound, right lane)

• Address of the closest building to pothole

• Cross street information, if available

• Size of pothole

Who is responsible for repairing pot holes? 

The responsibility to ensure roads are in a good state of repair is shared between the Province of Ontario, the County of Dufferin and the Town. Roads are classified (Class 1 to 5) based on traffic volumes and speed. Each class of road has a specified number of days in which to make repairs. 

Submitting a pot hole claim?

When making a claim against the Town for pothole damages, it is important to note that the Town will not be responsible for your property damage if it has met the Provincial "Minimum Maintenance Standards for Municipal Highways" (MMS).

You are required to submit a claim within 10 days of the date of the incident.

Option 1

Online submission at Submit an online insurance Claim Form (preferred).

Option 2

Submit by email: Clerk, Fax: (519) 925-6134 or by personally delivering it to Town Hall at the below address:

Town of Shelburne
Attention: Town Clerk
203 Main Street East
Shelburne, Ontario
L9V3K7

See our Insurance Claim webpage for more information. 

 What if your claim is denied?

If records show that MMS service levels were met, your claim will be denied. The Town will outline the results of the investigation in a letter and provide you with the report that justifies the denial.

It is important to know that the majority of property damage claims made against the Town of Shelburne are denied as the Town regularly meets or exceeds the standard levels of service.

For more information regarding the claims process, please contact the Town Clerk.

What number do I call if I have a concern? 

To report a snow related concern on residential roads and sidewalks in Shelburne, you can complete the online report a concern form or call the Utility Coordinator at the Town of Shelburne 519-925-2600 extension 261. 

If your snow concern is related to Main Street and or Owen Sound Street (connecting link) please call 1-888-222-2640.

If this is after hours emergency, please call 519-942-1342.  Public Works staff are available 24 hours a day. 

When does the Town plow? 

When snow accumulation is 2.5 cm - 6 cm or more.
Public Works will document the conditions of the road throughout town and will advise of the equipment to be dispatched to address the snow accumulation, ice formation, or icy roadway, on call Staff will be dispatched

Under the Minimum Maintenance Standards (Reg. 366/18), the Town has anywhere between 12 and 24 hours to clear roads that are classified under various categories, for example, primary roads are required to be plowed within a 12-hour period once there is 6 cm or more snow.  

Why do I hear crews working overnight?

Winter Maintenance crews work around the clock to complete snow clearing and removal efforts to provide safe conditions for residents. Overnight winter maintenance allows for staff to clear and remove snow in a more efficient and safe manner due to minimal traffic and minimal residential, business and community uses of our roads, sidewalks and parking lots. These overnight crews are also able to address any areas that were not cleared during daytime hours

Are all roads cleared at once? 

No.

We have set plow routes that are laid out to address streets in an efficient manner.  All Public Work’s vehicles and equipment have GPS to ensure all areas are attended and not missed. 

How long does it usually take to clear the snow in Town?

Most routes are completed within a 12-hour period. If there is a prolonged snowfall or freezing rain, heavy snowfall, cars parked on the road etc. clearance times can be delayed.  

Why do plows push snow onto my driveway? 

A snow windrow is the pile of snow that accumulates at the end of driveways when the road is plowed. The Town understands that windrows caused by road snow plowing can be frustrating for our residents. Unfortunately, to effectively plow the road, windrows cannot be avoided. 

When does the town salt and/or sand the roads?

Trucks are dispatched at the start of a snowfall and at the first sign of roads beginning to ice.  Treating a roadway means the application of material to the roadway, including but not limited to, salt, sand or any combination of salt and sand.  

The Town uses a sand (provides traction and aids in cutting through the snow and ice) and salt mixture which is 92% sand and 8% salt for all streets and sidewalks. This mixture has less impact on the environment than using straight salt.

In extreme conditions straight salt can be used to cut through ice buildup, that has become an issue. 

Over a winter season, sand may accumulate. In the spring the street and sidewalk sweeper will remove the excess material.

I think the plows missed my street. 

Crews take extra care to ensure that no streets are missed. Occasionally streets can be missed. If this has occurred please complete the online report a concern form or call the Utility Coordinator at the Town of Shelburne 519-925-2600 extension 261. Snow crews will be notified, and arrangements will be made to have the street cleared. 

Snow bank removal and disposal

The Town contracts a company to remove snow banks once they start blocking the view of the road.  Snow removal is not based on the height of the snowbank but if the snow bank is blocking the view of the intersection, called sight lines.

Downtown business areas have priority for removing snowbanks and then crews will move onto the residential neighbourhoods. 

How do plows get around cars parked on the street? 

When can I expect my sidewalk to be cleared? 

Sidewalks are cleared after snow accumulation reaches 8 centimetres.  

The Towns service level for winter maintenance on sidewalks is to maintain them to a snow packed condition. Snow packed is defined as a hard-packed snow surface. Sidewalk plows/blowers are not capable of clearing snow and ice from sidewalks to the extent that bare concrete is exposed in all conditions. The amount of scraping and sand/salt required to achieve a bare concrete service level would be damaging to the pavement, equipment, and the environment.

Winter weather can cause safety issues for residents. Town Staff make every effort to clear sidewalks as quickly and effectively as possible. Please help protect yourself by allowing for extra time and caution when walking in any winter conditions.

Snow and ice often bonds to the concrete during extreme temperatures, and ice can also form on snow packed sidewalks during thaw/freeze cycles. Other factors, such as overgrown turf on the edge of the sidewalk or a buildup of residual ice and snow under wheel tracks, can cause the edge of the plow or blower to ride above the surface of the sidewalk. All affected areas are treated with sand for traction.

Why can’t I push snow out onto the road?

Depositing snow or ice on the street creates hazardous traffic conditions and this could result in an accident.  Make sure your snow removal contractor is aware this practice is unsafe and not permitted. 

Pushing snow across roads and streets is not only a safety hazard; it is also against the law.  The Ontario Traffic Act states: No person shall deposit snow or ice on a roadway without permission in writing to do so from the Ministry or the road authority responsible for the maintenance of the road. R.S.O 1990, c. H.8, S. 181

Does the Town clear walkways and trails in Shelburne?

Recreational walkways will not be maintained in the winter, only trails/walkways that are travelled by residents to schools are cleared for travel in the winter.  These walkways are considered secondary routes and will be cleared after the primary sidewalks. 

Who clears the snow from mail boxes?

Canada Post is responsible for clearing snow from mail boxes. For concerns, please call Canada Post inquiry line at 1-800-267-1177

I live on a corner lot – why do I have more snow in my driveway than my neighbours?

If you live on a corner property and the driveway is close to the corner, you can experience a buildup of more snow on your driveway than your neighbours. This is an unavoidable condition caused by the nature of the snow plow and its ability to maneuver turns.  

Why is my lawn sometimes damaged by the sidewalk plow?

Edges of sidewalks may become hidden with deep snow or snow drifts.  That is when the plow may cause damage to sod.  In those circumstances damage may be unavoidable even with even the most experienced operator.  When sod is frozen, damage is minimal; however, when sod is not frozen, it lifts away very easily. To report sod damage, please complete the online report a concern form or call the Utility Coordinator at the Town of Shelburne 519-925-2600 extension 261. Staff will inspect the damage and make repairs in the spring.

Please remember that boulevards are owned by the Town and should not have any permanent landscape features.  These damaged items would not be the responsibility of the Town. 

The snow plow damaged/broke my blue bin/compost bin, what do I do?

While operators try to be careful, some degree of damage is unavoidable. Please bring your damaged bin to the Town Hall and it will be replaced at no charge. 

What are my responsibilities as the property owner?

Property owners are responsible for clearing snow from their walkways and driveways and it makes good sense to keep these areas and steps free of ice to keep your family safe.

Other points of snow etiquette and safety to keep in mind are:

• Be a good neighbour. Lend a hand to those who may not be physically able to shovel or who may find walking to the store or bus stop too difficult because of the snow or ice.
• Keep your children safe - do not let them play in the snow piles or on the snowbanks at the side of the road.
• Place your garbage containers and blue box on a cleared area, do not perch them on the top of snow piles, on the road or sidewalk.

• Shovel snow onto your property, away from the road and sidewalk
• When clearing snow, pile it on your property it should not be pushed onto Town streets – it’s illegal.
• Help prevent street flooding and clear storm drains of leaves and snow

• Property owners with fire hydrants fronting or abutting their property are requested to assist by keeping them visible and clear of snow. 

How much snow clearing does the Town of Shelburne conduct?

The winter maintenance crew are responsible for clearing and salting:

• 72.34 lane kilometers of roads and laneways.  (connecting link, Main Street and Owen Sound Street are maintained by Ministry of Transportation)
• 31 kilometers sidewalks and 3 pedestrian bridges
• 3 Municipal Parking lots – William Street, Wellington Street, and Town Hall, Parks, cemetery and Library
• Fire station, Wells, Wastewater treatment plant, Public Works yards, Water tower and 2 Town owned storage facilities

Street sweeping usually starts in late April or early May and is usually completed within approximately 6 weeks, weather permitting.  

There was a car parked in front of my residence. Will the Town of Shelburne come back and sweep this area?

The Town of Shelburne asks residents to minimize residential street parking, when possible, during this process to ensure best results. Town staff will note obstructions and will return at a later time.

The sweepers left a pile of sand that I swept up on the road. Why?

Sweepers are designed to sweep only normal build up of sand on the curb edge. Any sand that is swept into a pile by the resident cannot be swept up by the sweeper, as this machine is not capable of doing so. Please leave sand in its normal state, as the sweepers can make the most production out of this.

Where do the sweepers start each year and how is this determined?

Town street sweeping will commence by sweeping the roadways in the Town’s drinking water protection areas, then move outward in zones. Please refer to our news releases and the Towns Social media accounts for scheduled areas and updates. 

The sweeper went by and I’ve been left with a bigger mess than before. Why?

Sometimes the actual sweeping process is a two part process. The first sweeper that goes by is designed to pick up the bulk of the sand. Following that, another sweeper will pick up the finer sand and do a cleanup pass.

Another reason could be a result of rain. If the roads become too wet the sand tends to get spread around, appearing to be messy. The Town will not sweep in the rain for this very reason, but if the Town is commencing sweeping and it starts to rain, the sweeper will come back and re-sweep the area.

How do I report about a tree or tree branches near or on utility lines?

If the tree is on Town property, please call the Public Works Department at 519-925-2600 ext 261, email or report online by completing the Report a Compliment or Concern form.

If the tree is on private property, please contact the utility company directly. They will need the civic address or approximate location of the tree (i.e. nearest intersection or landmark) and your contact information.

Please call if a tree is interfering with hydro lines, poses a potential threat to human safety or meets any of these hazardous conditions: 

• the tree or branches are smoking, sparking or burning on a hydro line;
• the tree is an immediate hazard to the line (split, leaning, hanging over, uprooted); or
• the tree is leaning on a hydro pole.

Hydro One - 1-800-434-1235

What is the procedure for requesting tree trimming or removal of trees on Township property?

The Town has many trees in and adjacent to road allowances. Their maintenance requires a great deal of staff time and is a significant expense in the Public Work's budget. Tree conditions are constantly monitored to prioritize maintenance and/or removal. Being environmentally conscious, we appreciate the benefit of trees towards our quality of life. Please contact the the Public Works Department at 519-925-2600 ext 261, email or report online by completing the Report a Compliment or Concern form about any trees that you would like Town staff to assess.

Cable or Telephone Lines

Cable or telephone wires are easily confused with hydro lines. Branches touching the wires are not a hazard, but if the insulation is broken or damaged, service could be disrupted. Please call:

Bell (Damage Repair or Emergencies) 1-844-225-5550

Cogeco (Technical Support) 1-855-701-4881

Rogers 1 888 ROGERS1

The Town of Shelburne does not directly pay any claims related to vehicle damage. Due to insurance laws, it is recommended that you submit a claim through your insurance and they will review and assign fault as appropriate. 

How do I report missing or damaged road signs?

If you notice a missing or damaged road sign, please call the Public Works Department at 519-925-2600 ext 261, email or report online by completing the Report a Compliment or Concern form.

How do I report that a street light is out?

The Town is responsible for street lights. To report a street light is out, please contact the Public Works Department at 519-925-2600 ext 261, email or report online by completing the Report a Compliment or Concern form. The location of the light, particularly which side of the street and the nearest house number. The six digit pole number is also helpful.

Who do I contact about a municipal water or sewage problem?

Are wood chips available to the public?