Calgary's 24-Hour Snow Removal Bylaw, Explained

Calgary's Snow Removal Bylaw: What Every Property Owner Needs to Know

Calgary winters bring a legal obligation most homeowners only think about the first time they get a knock on the door, or a fine in the mail. Section 67 of Calgary's Street Bylaw requires property owners to clear snow and ice from the public sidewalk bordering their property within 24 hours of a snowfall ending. Here's exactly how it works.

The Core Rule

If you own or occupy property in Calgary, you have 24 hours after the snow stops falling to clear the public sidewalk bordering your property down to bare surface. The same 24-hour deadline applies to public pathways bordering your property, which must be cleared to a minimum width of 1.5 metres, wide enough for a wheelchair, walker, or stroller to pass safely.

Note what starts the clock: it's 24 hours from when the snowfall ends, not from when it starts. A storm that drops snow over 18 hours doesn't give you less time, the 24-hour window begins once the snow actually stops.

Who's Responsible

• Homeowners are responsible for the public sidewalk bordering their own property.
• Businesses are responsible for theirs.
• Landlords remain responsible even if they don't live at the property. Renting a place out does not transfer the obligation to the tenant as far as the City is concerned, that's worth spelling out explicitly in a lease if you're a landlord who expects a tenant to handle it.

The Penalties

Fines escalate within a rolling 12-month period:

If the City ends up clearing your sidewalk because it wasn't done in time, you're charged a minimum of $150 plus GST and administration fees, added directly to your property taxes if it goes unpaid. Unpaid fines are also payable to Alberta Registry Services when renewing a driver's licence or vehicle registration, which is a more disruptive collection method than most people expect from a shovelling ticket.

How Reporting Actually Works

One detail that surprises a lot of homeowners: a complaint cannot be filed until 24 hours have elapsed since the last snowfall ended. The clock genuinely does protect you for a full day, a neighbour or passerby can't report an uncleared sidewalk two hours after a storm. Once that 24-hour window closes, though, you're exposed, and a call to 311 (or the online Sidewalk Snow Report) can trigger an inspection.

Why the Bylaw Exists

The City clears roads, designated pathways, and other high-use public areas as part of its own winter operations, but relies on property owners to handle the sidewalks directly bordering private property, there are simply too many kilometres of residential sidewalk for City crews to cover on top of roads. The rule exists primarily for pedestrian safety: sidewalk falls are a genuine injury risk, and an occupant's failure to clear a sidewalk within the window can create liability exposure beyond just the fine itself if someone is hurt.

Staying Compliant Without Watching the Forecast Yourself

The practical challenge with the 24-hour rule isn't the shovelling, it's the timing. A snowfall that ends at 2am on a Tuesday still starts your clock at 2am, whether or not you're awake, home, or physically able to clear it yourself that day.

This is exactly what a seasonal snow removal contract solves. Contract customers get cleared on a route inside the bylaw window as standard, without having to track every snowfall or call around after the fact. If you're relying on per-visit calls instead, the trade-off is real: after a heavy overnight snowfall, companies work through their committed routes before taking one-off calls, so a same-day request in a busy week may not beat the 24-hour clock.

What This Means for Booking Snow Removal

If staying compliant with Calgary's bylaw, and avoiding the liability of an uncleared, icy sidewalk, matters to you, book before the first snowfall rather than after. Three North Clean clears driveways, walkways, and the public sidewalk bordering your property on both a per-visit and seasonal contract basis across Calgary. See our snow removal service page for pricing, or call (587) 225-2077.

*Bylaw details are current as of 2026 and can change. Confirm the current rules at calgary.ca or by calling 311.*