Shortage of Road Salt Hits Ontario Cities Amidst Cold Weather

Many cities in Ontario are conserving their road salt supplies due to what officials are calling a provincewide shortage.

Pickering and London have both put out alerts indicating they’re modifying their winter maintenance plans because of the low availability of road salt, which coincides with a cold snap affecting much of southern Ontario.

“Salt supplies are under pressure across the province,” Joel Gillard, division manager with road operations with the City of London, said in a Jan. 23 notice.

“Our teams are adapting to ensure roads remain as safe as possible with the materials we have available.”

Meanwhile, Pickering mentioned that instead of applying salt early during a storm, they may choose to apply it later when conditions will allow for better effectiveness.

“In some locations, a mix of salt, sand, or other de-icing materials may be used. This method can enhance traction and help stretch available salt supplies; therefore, residents might notice more sand on roads and sidewalks,” the city explained.

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2:15 Record winter storm buries Eastern Canada

“These measures reflect practices being used across Ontario in response to current supply conditions. Winter operations will continue to be adjusted as needed based on weather, road conditions, and available materials.”

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The shortages come as Environment Canada placed large portions of southern Ontario under cold warnings Tuesday.

Parts of the province, including Toronto, can expect wind chill values near -25, it stated. Wind chill values will improve throughout the day but are still expected to range between -15 and -20.

A lot of Ontarians have already experienced record snowfalls this month; at Toronto Pearson International Airport alone, at least 88.2 centimetres has fallen this January – making it the snowiest month since records began in 1937 – according to Environment Canada’s report on Monday.

A snowstorm last Sunday dropped 46 centimetres at the airport while areas closer to Lake Ontario received even more snow. Snowfall amounts recorded at Billy Bishop Airport reached 56 centimetres, according to the summary provided.

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Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow announced that the city has started its snow removal efforts and expects residential streets will be cleared within the next 48 hours.

– with files from Gabby Rodrigues

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