Shovel your sidewalk or be charged $400, warns Kitchener bylaw

The City of Kitchener is stepping up bylaw enforcement this winter.

Officers will be proactively inspecting sidewalks around the city to make sure they are properly cleared and if not, there will be costly consequences.

Inconsistent snow clearing has been aperennialproblem for the city.

"Unfortunately, some property owners aren't complying with the bylaw, which can make it hard to get around and creates barriers for anyone with a walker, wheelchair, stroller or other mobility device," wrote the city in a news release on Tuesday.

The current bylaw places responsibility for sidewalk clearing on owners whose property borders on those sidewalks. It must be done within 24 hours of snowfall.

This year, if a bylaw officer sees a sidewalk covered in snow or ice, they will issue one warning. They will return within a day and if it still hasn't been cleared, the city will shovel or plow it and the property owner will be billed $400 for the work.

Previously, the process was complaint-based.

At the same time, the city announced twoinitiativesto ease the burden of snow clearing:

• Funding up to 10 snow blowers to be shared among neighbours who want one. The deadline to apply is Nov. 9.
• Assistance for people who need help clearing sidewalks and snow windrows left by city plows at the end of a driveway, provided through The Working Centre, for up to 50 properties.

The city says residents will still be able to reportunshovelledsidewalks, through the corporate contact centre at 519-741-2345.