Snow Removal and Map
With more than 43 km of streets and back lanes, ensuring safe and efficient traffic flow is critical. Below is a link to an interactive map, which provides the most current information. In the spring and summer months, the map shows you the streets that are next in the queue for street sweeping. In the winter months, if snow removal is being conducted, the map will indicate that as well.
You can see areas that are complete and the streets that are marked to be completed next. This map is updated daily by 5:00 pm during the snow removal or street sweeping periods.
Updated Nov 25, 2024: Please be patient as priority areas and emergency routes are completed first. All streets in Hanna are currently passable. Just a reminder that the Local Loop may be an option for you if you need to navigate the snow filled streets. Do NOT expect to navigate your alley anytime soon.
This ↑ interactive map opens a new browser window which leads to an external website. The map is updated in real-time which means that as areas are completed, they are marked as such.
The interactive map can help you to follow the snow removal schedule after a heavy snowfall.
Legend for Interactive Map
Priorities (snow)
Emergency vehicle routes
Collector streets
School bus routes
Airport
Residential
Cul-de-sacs and crescents
Alleys (discretionary)
How You Can Help
To Make the Job Faster
Do not park on streets. Why? Click here.
- Avoiding parking on streets allows the snow removal team to plow curb-to-curb.
- Curb-to-curb means that snow-ridges aren’t left behind and the street is cleared and easy to navigate.
- It can be tricky to navigate heavy equipment around parked cars, let alone watching out for traffic, children and animals.
Do not pile snow on public property. Why? Click here.
- If you are shovelling or blowing snow from your driveway, you may put it onto the street but ONLY if the equipment has NOT been down your street. See How do I know if my street has been completed for more information. The only exception to this is the downtown businesses since they have nowhere to pile their snow.
- Imagine moving all the snow from your sidewalks and driveway and pushing it down your driveway into the street. You have now done a couple of things.
- You have made your own snow problem at the end of your driveway.
- Did you think about the people with small cars trying to navigate the streets?
Avoid the area in progress. Why? Click here.
Safety is very important. Heavy machinery has blind spots and operators may not see pedestrians or vehicles. Avoid the area that is being worked in. Did you know, that this equipment can get caught in the ice and snow just as easily as passenger vehicles? Then, built up ice and snow pulls it as well. This makes navigating around parked cars very slow and treacherous.
Stay informed. Why?
Check the Town’s website, specifically the street clearing and snow removal interactive map. The truck driver, between loads updates the map, in real time, when it’s safe. When you select the link, the interacive map will load in a new, full size window that you can zoom in or out and move around on your screen. If a small hard-to-read window opens, you’ve clicked in the wrong place. Red lines on the map indicate the area(s) that is planned to be next. If you area is marked complete, you’ve missed the opportunity to move your vehicle.
Spread the word. Why?
We are a community. A community works together and helps one another. The Town of Hanna recognize that not everyone uses the internet but we hope that the rest of you will inform your neighbors when your block is on the list to be cleaned next.
Prepare your vehicle. Why?
Before winter even hits, usually sometime in October, many people install good winter tires. All season tires are ok, but certainly not winter tires. Winter tires are made from soft rubber that remains flexible in cold temperatives, providing better grip. Their deeper treak patterns and biting ediges help prevent slipping and improve stability.
We live in Alberta. The weather is unpredictable and shifts rapidly from mild to severe. While not legally required in Alberta as they are in some provinces, using winter tires ensures your vehicle is ready to handle unexpected snow or freezing rain. It also demonstrates a proactive approach to safety.
Be patient and courteous. Why?
Seriously? You have to ask why it’s important to be courteous?
Everyone is working as efficiently as possible. Snow removal is a time intensive process and typically takesa minimum of two weeks to complete. Longer if there’s more snow to haul.
This same set of snow haulers are also responsible for water main issues, sewer issues, have scheduled meetings to attend, are the ones who open and close graves at the cemetery, clear roads into the cemetery if there’s a burial, work with other stakeholders (Alberta Health Services for example) to ensure safe and efficient passage and much more. They have many tasks. Moving snow is only one.
FAQ’s
Who is responsible for cleaning ice and snow from sidewalks?
Under Bylaw 947-2009, the owner or occupant of any property adjacent to a sidewalk is deemed responsible for the removal of ice and snow from that portion of the sidewalk within 24 hours after the ice or snow has been deposited.
In order to conduct its operations in a timely and cost-effective manner, the Town keeps an inventory of the sidewalks it clears, and its snow and ice control activities based on a set of criteria. The Town is also subject to Alberta’s Municipal Government Act (R.S.A. 2000 c.M-26), which required municipalities to keep roads and sidewalks in a reasonable state of repair.
Consider becoming a Snow Angel by helping neighbors in need, especially seniors, with snow removal in the winter. Take a few extra minutes when shoveling your own sidewalk to shovel a neighbor’s sidewalk and to keep them clear, ice-free, and safe.
Where am I allowed to put the snow I've shoveled?
Allowed: Shovel snow from public spaces onto other public spaces.
Allowed: Shovel snow from your property and the sidewalks in front of your property onto your own property.
Not Allowed: Shovel snow from private property (driveways) onto streets, especially if the snow removal crew has already completed your street.
Can I be fined?
Yes, property owners can be fined for failing to remove snow and ice from a sidewalk. If a property owner or occupant does not remove snow and ice from a sidewalk adjacent to their property within 24 hours of a snowfall, the Town of Hanna Services may issue a warning notice directing the property owner or occupant to clear the sidewalk within a certain period of time. If the sidewalk is not cleared within that time, the Town may have the snow and ice removed from the sidewalk at the property owner’s expense. Actual costs vary depending on the length of the sidewalk and the amount of ice and snow to be removed. The Bylaw officer typically acts on snow and ice removal concerns on a complaint basis.
What if I am away on vacation when the snow falls?
It is your responsibility to maintain your property, even if you are away. You can ask a friend or neighbor or hire a company to do the work for you while you are away or unable. The bylaw will still be enforced regardless of whether the property owner is home or not.
What if I have tenants living in my property?
The property owner is responsible for all charges incurred for failing to maintain your property, even if you don’t live there. You can hire a company or require your tenant to do the work, but it is still your responsibility to make sure that the work is done. Bylaw services will still enforce the bylaw regardless if the property owner is residing at the location or not.
Who can I contact?
If you have questions, concerns, want to report a bylaw infraction or discuss a warning notice issued in error, contact the Town Office or complete and submit the Bylaw Complaint Form.