Mississauga’s Award-Winning Winter Services Enhance Community

The City of Mississauga has been honored with two awards from the Ontario Public Works Association.

On Wednesday, June 10, 2026, during a meeting of the Mississauga City Council, the Ontario Public Works Association recognized the City’s Works Operations and Maintenance division with two prestigious awards.

Mississauga has received recognition from the Ontario Public Works Association (OPWA) through two significant awards. The City’s Works Operations and Maintenance (WOM) division earned OPWA’s Project of the Year Award in the Management Innovation category for its enhanced winter maintenance service. Additionally, Helen Noehammer, Director of Works Operations and Maintenance, was named OPWA’s Top Public Works Leader of the Year. The OPWA Awards highlight exceptional projects, programs, and individuals within Ontario’s public works sector. They celebrate excellence in leadership, service delivery, innovation, sustainability, and community impact.

Enhancing Winter Maintenance Services

During the 2025-2026 winter season, Mississauga introduced improved winter maintenance services throughout the city. This included two new offerings: clearing windrows in residential driveways across the city and clearing sidewalks for residents. These additions were approved by Mississauga City Council to better assist residents during winter months.

The WOM team made significant improvements to how winter services are managed and executed. To ensure successful delivery of these services, staff:

Improved snow-clearing routes so crews could work more efficiently while providing dependable snow removal. Adjusted maintenance yards to accommodate new equipment. Provided clear information to residents about these new services. Reviewed service delivery after each snowstorm to identify areas for improvement. Collaborated closely with Parking Enforcement, Traffic Management, and Municipal Parking teams to align with winter parking regulations. Installed dash cameras on snow-clearing vehicles to address challenges posed by parked cars and enhance overall monitoring.

Boosting Residents’ Quality of Life

In a winter marked by historic snowfall that included a storm dropping up to 55 centimeters of snow, these expanded winter maintenance services proved beneficial for residents.

Thanks to its new driveway windrow clearing program, the City ensured at least a three-meter-wide opening in 134,000 driveway windrows whenever roads were cleared. Previously, many residents dealt with heavy snow piles left at their driveways after street plowing. By clearing space in these windrows for residents, it became easier and safer for them to leave home for work or school.

The City also cleared 900 kilometers of residential sidewalks during every snow-clearing event. This effort kept walking paths accessible and safe while helping residents reach essential services throughout the winter.

This year’s initiatives occurred alongside ongoing efforts to clear 5,700 lane kilometers of roads; 1,500 kilometers of priority sidewalks; 3,300 bus stops; 127 kilometers of multi-use trails; and 73 kilometers of bike lanes.

Leadership Strengthening Mississauga

The City is pleased to announce that Helen Noehammer has been awarded as OPWA’s Top Public Works Leader of the Year.

This award acknowledges Noehammer’s over three decades of leadership within transportation and municipal engineering sectors. After spending twenty years with another municipality she joined Mississauga in 2014 as Director of Infrastructure Planning and Engineering before becoming Director of Works Operations and Maintenance Division in 2022.

Noehammer has led various critical city-building initiatives during her time here including:

Implementing citywide residential driveway windrow clearing as well as sidewalk clearing programs. Introducing a Stormwater Charge used to fund stormwater management services amidst increasing demands. Developing the acclaimed Transportation Master Plan in 2019 along with initiating Vision Zero Action Plan.

Her contributions toward transportation safety plans have shaped how road infrastructure is funded managed improved over time. Noehammer emphasizes listening closely to frontline staff ensuring they have necessary resources needed for high-quality outcomes.

This award reflects her dedication towards building a safer more accessible city environment.

Quotes

“This recognition reflects the hard work planning teamwork behind our winter operations. Our staff delivered new services during a very challenging winter improving safety access quality life for residents. We are also proud see Helen Noehammer recognized her leadership long-standing commitment building stronger more resilient city.” – Sam Rogers Commissioner Transportation & Works

“I’m honoured receive this award proud incredible work our Works Operations Maintenance team done. This achievement reflects dedication resiliency innovative thinking our staff. It shows commitment improving we provide residents services need even challenging conditions. By working together continuing learn adapt making real difference how people move around city access essential services rely.” – Helen Noehammer Director Works Operations Maintenance

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