More winter weather will soon be on the way! Dufferin County is prepared to keep the community safe and County roads clear so that residents and visitors can get where they need to go safely all winter long.

Snow clearing on County roads

The County Public Works team is responsible for all County roads and some local roads in Dufferin’s eight local municipalities: Amaranth, East Garafraxa, Grand Valley, Melancton, Mono, Mulmur, Orangeville and Shelburne. In total, Dufferin is responsible for clearing approximately 700 lane kilometres of County roads during each winter weather event.

Dufferin County residents are reminded that everyone has a role to play in keeping the community safe. By following some easy tips, the upcoming season can be safer for all:

• Give snowplows lots of space and do not follow too closely.
• Never try to pass a working snowplow.
• Children should never play in, on or near snowbanks on the sides of roads.

Residents are also reminded that before plows are on County roads, now is the time to check that mailboxes and posts are in good repair. Metal is the preferred material for rural mailboxes and there should be a solid connection from the box to a 6-inch top, and a wood post in good condition. The front of a mailbox must be a minimum of 3 feet off the edge of pavement. Residents are also reminded to clear snow around and upstream from a mailbox and post!

Visit www.dufferincounty.ca 24/7 for County road winter maintenance updates. Road users can also follow @DufferinRoads on X (formerly Twitter) for road closure notices.

Winter emergency preparedness
Dufferin County encourages residents to avoid travel during winter weather events if possible, but if travel is required, the following safety tips should be followed:

• Clear vehicles of any ice or snow before driving.
• Drive according to weather conditions.  Stay alert, slow down and stay in control. Always maintain a safe distance from other vehicles.
• An emergency kit should be kept in all vehicles that includes items like a shovel, blanket, flashlight and more. The County has tips on emergency kits here.
• Ensure all vehicles have properly inflated snow tires.

Power outages may occur because of winter storms. Residents are encouraged to have a 72-hour emergency kit prepared including items like:

• Battery powered radio and extra batteries
• Flashlight with extra batteries
• Lightweight blankets
• First aid kit
• Nonperishable snacks
• A list of medications

For updates on power outages, residents are encouraged to follow @OvilleHydro and @HydroOne on X. Outages can be reported to Orangeville Hydro at 519-942-8000 and Hydro One at 1-800-434-1235 or at www.hydroone.com.

Dufferin County and its local municipal partners continue to lead the way in emergency preparedness and are ready to meet the needs of residents and visitors in any crisis. Last month, the County announced eight new municipal emergency support services (ESS) trailers to provide support in local crisis situations. The trailers contain equipment and provisions to enable volunteers to provide support to up to 50 people per trailer in emergencies. Anyone interested in volunteering to help if an emergency strikes can contact emergency.management@dufferincounty.ca to learn more.

QUOTES

“Dufferin County continues to experience increasingly wilder weather events, but the County is prepared to keep County roads clear and our community safe all winter long. The County’s winter operations team has been working hard to ensure we are prepared when winter weather arrives. Everyone in our community has a role to play in making the season safe and enjoyable. Residents are reminded to give snowplows lots of space, not follow too closely and never try to pass a plow. And be sure to follow the County’s social channels and Dufferin Roads on X for timely snow updates!”

-Wade Mills, Warden, Dufferin County

“The safety of Dufferin residents is a top County priority, and we are dedicated to ensuring anyone traveling within the county gets where they need to go safely. Each winter weather event, our snow operations team is responsible for clearing nearly 700 lane kilometres of County roads. We encourage our community to keep safety top of mind this winter – keep an emergency kit in your car and a 72-hour emergency kit in your home, and if you are interested in volunteering to help in the event of an emergency, contact the County’s Emergency Preparedness team!”

-Sonya Pritchard, Chief Administrative Officer, Dufferin County

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MEDIA CONTACT:
Megan Ball, Manager of Communications
mball@dufferincounty.ca