Clarington declares ‘Significant Weather Event,’ encourages residents to stay off the roads

The Municipality of Clarington has declared a ‘significant weather Event’ under the Municipal Act, which means the weather poses a “significant hazard to users of the highways,” allowing municipalities extra time to clear the roads and prioritize main routes to make them safe.

All main and local roads in Clarington are being maintained by Public Works crews. With a forecast calling for more snow and significant blowing and drifting snow, road conditions are hazardous and unsafe.

“Our snow plow operators will continue to work hard to maintain the roads. This declaration allows us more time to meet our safety commitments. Under the Highway Traffic Act, safety dictates that our crews need a mandatory eight-hour break after a 13-hour shift to get back on the roads safely. This means that we will be prioritizing routes based on traffic volume to try and keep pace with the ongoing snowfall,” said Director of Public Works Stephen Brake.

“Mother nature has created a safety issue for us today. I would encourage our residents to stay off the roads and stay home for now. Please let this weather pass. If you do go out, drive according to road and weather conditions, and maintain a good distance between cars,” added Fire Chief Mariano Perini.

The Municipality is also closing its facilities today, including Town Hall.