Winter Wise Program

City Roads and Streets

During a snow event, City roads are plowed according to a priority system aimed at supporting public safety and public transportation access:

• Priority 1 - Maintain accessibility for emergency vehicles and transit vehicles on collector, arterial and emergency and bus routes that connect major sections of the community.
• Priority 2 - Maintenance of safe travel routes and accessibility for vehicles on streets classified as Priority 2 routes, including non-arterial and collector routes that provide access to school sites, community care facilities, as well as subzones that contain a high percentage of local roads with grades in excess of 10%, during icing and storm conditions. Priority 2 route response may be advanced, or delayed, due to event intensity, severity or duration.
• Priority 3 - Maintain safe travel routes and accessibility for vehicles on all remaining routes. Clearing these routes may be advanced or delayed depending on the weather event’s intensity, severity or duration.

Private roads are not maintained by the City. Residents need to contact their Property Management Company or Strata for concerns related to their roads.

View the Coquitlam Snow Response Plan Map (PDF).

City Facilities and Parks Snow Response  

During a snow event, parking lots and access walkways at City facilities are cleared according to a priority system aimed at supporting access to City-owned facilities. 

Additionally, multi-use pathways that connect transit or school routes, as well as pedestrian pathways that allow safe passage along routes fronting civic property to schools, are cleared if school is in session.  

Every effort is made to ensure parking facilities and pedestrian entrances and exits to Coquitlam City facilities including sidewalks are cleared for accessibility of all patrons. These priorities may change due to several factors including event intensity, severity and duration and available equipment. 

Priority 1 - City Facilities Snow Clearing

• Resumption of access to City facilities including parking facilities and public access 
  • City-owned facilities are defined as the pools, rink, community centres/activity centres, City Hall, libraries, Maillardville Community Centre, Place Des Arts, and Evergreen Cultural Centre, Public Safety Building and Fire Halls 
• Maintenance of pedestrian entrances and exits to all city facilities (except Society buildings) including sidewalks that surround a facility but do not border the street 
• Society buildings such as Place des Arts, Public Libraries, Evergreen Cultural Centre, Mackin Museum, Foster Tennis and Hoy Creek Hatchery have pedestrian entrances cleared by operators of these facilities.
  • Priority 1 responses will occur when resources are available and may be advanced, or delayed, due to event intensity, severity or duration and may depend upon the operating hours of each facility.  

Priority 2 - Snow Sidewalk, Pathway & Multi-Use-Pathway Clearing  

• Sidewalks fronting open City facilities 
• Multi-Use Pathways connecting to transit 
• Frontages linking safe routes to school if schools are open 
  • Priority 2 responses will typically occur after priority 1 responsibilities have been met; however, the response may be advanced, or delayed due to event intensity, severity or duration. Pathways include multi-use pathways.  

Parking When Snow is in the Forecast

The City of Coquitlam’s snow plows cannot deliver their best service when cars are parked on critical roadways. When there is snow in the forecast, do not park on the street. All vehicles should be parked in a driveway, garage, carport or other area of their private property - this applies to residents in secondary suites as well. Landlords must provide areas for their residents to park off the street.

Activated No Parking Restriction - Subscribe to NotifyMe Email

The City has implemented a type of parking restriction that is 'activated' every time snow is in the forecast until the end of the snow event and the streets are clear. 

If you live in any of the locations listed below, the City will advise that the restriction has been activated via email to subscribers of our Winter Parking Restriction NotifyMe email – please subscribe to help prevent receiving a ticket and having your vehicle towed. The City will also advise via the City’s social media channels - please follow us.

• Blue Mountain Street 
• Bramble Lane
• Chilko Drive 
• Dolphin Street 
• Corona Crescent  in the Chineside area
• Hamber Court  and Pritchett Place  on Burke Mountain 
• Highland Drive 
• Keets Drive
• Lansdowne Drive 
• Solar Court 
• Strawline Hill Street
• Westwood Plateau - Berkshire Crescent, Braeside Place, Chartwell Green, Firestone Place, Johnson Street (above David Ave.), Norwood Court, Parkway Boulevard (from Panorama Drive to Plateau Boulevard), Pinetree Way (above David. Ave.), Plateau Boulevard, Topaz Court and Turnberry Lane.

If you live on Steeple Drive, please review this map and note the area and restrictions from November 15, 2023 to March 15, 2024. 

Curbside Collection in Winter Conditions 

In the event of wintery road conditions, there may be delays or temporary cancellations of waste collection services. 

• Unless otherwise advised via a service alert update, during a snow event, residents should continue to place materials out for collection on your scheduled collection day, ensuring containers are visible and accessible for collection crews.
• If your material is missed due to weather disruptions, collection crews will attempt to return the following day. If collection is still not possible, missed material will be collected the following week on your next regularly scheduled collection day. 
• Download the free Coquitlam Curbside Collection app or sign-up for phone call or email notifications to get instant, property-specific service disruption alerts – details are at coquitlam.ca/recollect. 
• Curbside recycling in Coquitlam is managed by Recycle BC, not the City. For recycling collection updates during winter weather, download the free Recycle BC app or visit RecycleBC.ca/Coquitlam. 

Resident Responsibilities

To help us better serve you during a winter weather event, please remember the following:

• During rain or heavy wind, please remember to clear the catch basin in front of your home to help avoid flooding. Locate catch basins adjacent to your property by using the map tool on our Adopt-a-Catch Basin webpage and also consider, adopting a catch basin. 
• After a snowfall, residents must clear their sidewalks within 10 hours. Remember to shovel the snow to the back of your driveway. If you shovel onto the street, the plow will push the snow back onto your driveway and sidewalk.
• When salting to prevent ice build up before a snow or frost event, please do not use excessive amounts of salt as excessive sodium chloride levels can have a negative effect on freshwater aquatic life when the ice and snow melts and the water enters our storm drains.
• The recommended application rate of salt is 20 grams per square metre, which is approximately one handful of salt.
• If you need help shoveling snow, check out our Snow Angels program to determine if you qualify for assistance.