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CKMS News -2024-09-10- Waterloo’s Snow Assist program expands as applications for the program’s 2nd year open

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CKMS News -2024-09-10- Waterloo’s Snow Assist program available for eligible residents

dan kellar
Waterloo, ON – The City of Waterloo has expanded the availability of their Snow Assist program for the upcoming winter to help more residents. Reflecting the city’s accessibility and inclusion efforts, Snow Assist is aimed at residents 65 years of age and older and for low-income folks with disabilities.  The program will place qualifying applicants in one of three streams of service for snow removal on their properties throughout the winter.

Applications are due by the end of September and can be accessed on waterloo.ca/snow-assist.  Folks who were approved for the program last winter will be automatically re-enrolled.

This show features an interview with Tiffany Smith the manager of community programming for the city, who discusses the impetus for the program, and the various streams of service available.

CKMS Community News, Newsroom

CKMS News – City of Waterloo offers free sidewalk and windrow snow clearing to eligible residents

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MP Holmes
Kitchener, ON

The City of Waterloo is offering a free assisted sidewalk and windrow snow-clearing service for eligible residents who are unable to clear their sidewalks and windrows during the winter months. Earlier this year and after obtaining community feedback on how to proceed with future snow clearing in the city, City Council decided to open applications for a trial snow-clearing service.

Tiffany Smith, Manager, Senior Services and Community Services at the City of Waterloo, explained who the program is meant to help, how to apply, and what the future plans are.

Demand has been high and the city has quickly received applications for half of the forty spots available. Smith explained how this initiative is the first of a four year phase-in program that will see snow-clearing services expanded. Council approved this plans in a May 2023 meeting. A synopsis of this report can be found at EngageWR. There are plans to assess the program and gather further input from homeowners and the community after this first trial season.

As a part of its current snow-clearing responsibilities, the city clears multi-use trails and paths around the city, as well as walkways and bike lanes. City plows also currently clear about 85 km of sidewalk in and around various city parks and facilities

Applications open until October 31st and can be found online here.

You can listen to the show above: