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A residential street, sidewalks, and surrounding buildings are covered in snow. A man walks down a snow-covered sidewalk. To his left is a bus shelter and a bench which are also covered in snow. One person stands in the bus shelter. In the bottom right-hand corner of the image, there is a yellow banner overlay with the text “SnoWay!”

Say #SnoWay and advocate for better snow removal in your region!

Sidewalks, crossings, and transit stops are critical and necessary infrastructure for pedestrians and must be safe, accessible, and usable to all – regardless of the season. Navigating your community after it snows shouldn't be an obstacle course. When municipalities, businesses, snow removal contractors, and homeowners fail to clear snow and ice effectively, people who are blind, Deafblind, or have low vision may be unable to safely navigate the built environment in their communities and access public transit, undermining their independence and ability to carry out daily activities. 

As snow begins to blanket our streets and sidewalks, CNIB is launching a snow removal advocacy campaign to educate municipalities and the public about the environmental barriers snow and ice-covered sidewalks create for our community and to remind municipalities, businesses, snow removal contractors, and homeowners about their responsibility to clear snow and ice from paths of travel. 

Say #SnoWay and advocate for better snow removal in your region! Stopped at traffic lights, a pile of improperly cleared snow blocks half of the pedestrian crosswalk. In the centre of the image, there is a yellow banner overlay with the text “SnoWay!”

Here's how: 

  1. Speak out and file a complaint with your municipality. If you encounter a sidewalk, pathway or transit stop that hasn't been properly cleared of snow 48 hours after a significant snowfall (or sooner if mandated by your municipality), report it by submitting a complaint (online or by phone). Many municipalities have a centralized 311 number or equivalent service, allowing residents to easily report issues and submit a service request. 
  2. Participate in our #SnoWay contest by sharing a photo highlighting a poorly cleared sidewalk, crosswalk, or transit stop. Document the challenges posed by pathways blanketed in snow and ice by emailing advocacy@cnib.ca or posting about it on social media, tagging CNIB and using the hashtag #SnoWay. Each submission should include an image description with details about the snow barrier and location (e.g., the bus stop at the intersection of Bank Street and Queen Street). Bonus – submissions will be automatically entered in a draw for a chance to win a $100 Visa gift card!
  3. Talk to your friends, family, neighbours, and local businesses about their snow removal practices – remind them of their responsibility to clear snow and ice from public paths of travel. 

Your participation will contribute to important ongoing discussions about the impacts of improper snow removal practices for our community. We hope you'll get involved and share your experiences. 

 

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