Constant wintry weather has Ontario snow contractors scrambling for salt

There has been one constant in Ontario this winter: a non-stop amount of snow falling across many areas of the province.

The plethora of snowfalls, both large and small, has left those responsible for clearing roads and parking lots scrambling to keep up.

It has also left private snow contractors with the unenviable task of trying to keep their salt stocks high, as unusually high amount of inclement weather is causing “massive strain,” said Joe Salemi, executive director of Landscape Ontario.

“There’s already a shortage of snow and ice contractors in Ontario because of the liability pressures that are on them,” said, whose association represents landscapers and private snow removal companies.

“So when you have all of these snowfalls all at once, it just puts massive strain on the capacity and the bandwidth of these contractors to make sure that our parking lots and roadways and walkways are clear.”

Story continues below advertisement

Global News meteorologist Ross Hull said Wednesday that Toronto had received about triple the average snowfall in February, while Ottawa had also seen more than double than usual.

“Average snowfall at YYZ for the month of February is 24.3 cm (YYZ has received 71.6 cm so far this month),” he explained.

“The average snowfall for the entire winter weather season is 108.5 cm (YYZ has received 125.8 cm so far this season).”

1:46Toronto outlines plan for snow removal after 53 cm of accumulates in the city, more on the way

Meanwhile Ottawa, which tends to see more snow in the winter than their southern cousins, has seen 93.4 cm by February 19, while it historically averages 43.3 cm, according to Hill. He said that Canada’s capital will generally see around 223 cm but it had already seen 193 cm by Wednesday.

Story continues below advertisement

“All of these small snow events require a salt application,” Salemi said.

For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.

“But when we saw this bigger snowfall, it’s the plow crew that goes out, clears all the snow, and then at the very end, there’s a salt application. So all of these smaller snow events actually eat up a lot more salt than one big snowfall.”

Among the companies feeling the pinch is Draglam Salt, which posted a warning on their website noting that prices could be affected by the salts shortage.

2:13How to stop shoveling from straining your heart

The world’s largest salt mine is located in Goderich, Ont. Salemi said the wintry weather has forced Compass Minerals, the mine’s owner, to ration its salt supply as it provides much of his members with their salt.

“The salt mines base their production off the last couple of winters snowfall and you know in the GTA and southern Ontario are snowfalls in the last two winters have been pretty light,” Salemi said.

“So getting ready for this winter we’ve seen a ton of snow already and we still have a lot of winter to go.”

Trending Now

Legault calls Tkachuk brothers ‘shameful’ as hockey, politics clash for 4 Nations final

Story continues below advertisement

The Compass Minterals website says the company ships salt from Goderich to hundreds of communities around the Great Lakes and along the St. Lawrence Seaway.

“The salt mines are actually prioritizing government organizations, the municipalities, the provinces,” Salemi explained.

“So the private contractors are at the back of the line and, you know, they’re able to get salt, but it’s few and far between.”

He said one of his group’s members was forced to send pictures to get a restock after his supplies had run low.

“I was talking to a snow and ice contractor (Thursday) morning, and he said he was down to his last five yards,” Salemi recalled.

“And when he contacted the mine, they asked him to send photo evidence that he was actually down that low. And once he was able to do that, they sent one load of salt where normally he would be able to get two or three at any given time.”

Story continues below advertisement

5:11Staying Safe on Snow-Covered Roads

In normal winters, contractors will be able to get a load at a moment’s notice, but it is now a three-to-five day waiting period to get a restock. But Salemi says Mother Nature is to blame.

“It’s a no-win situation for anyone,” he offered.

“No one really wants to be where we’re at right now. it’s the unpredictability and the nature of our weather.”

The lack of salt has forced some of the contractors to exercise a little more caution as they apply their trade.

“They’re servicing all of their clients, but they have to ration the salt,” Salemi said.

“They have to make sure that they’ve got enough supply for everybody.”

More on Toronto
More videos

&copy 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

Source link