Seasonal snow removal contracts in London, Ontario
A seasonal snow removal contract covers a home or business in London, Ontario for the whole winter under one set of written terms. With a seasonal contract arranged by London Snow Removal, one request starts it: we reply by email or phone and arrange the work with a local operator on terms you agree to first.
How a seasonal snow contract works
You agree the terms once, and the operator then clears the property each time new snow reaches the depth in the contract, with no new request for each storm. It can be priced for the whole season, in instalments or by a set number of visits. For homes, see driveway snow removal; for plazas, offices and apartment lots, see commercial snow removal.
Trigger depth and how often the operator comes out
The trigger depth is the amount of new snow, written into the contract, that sends the operator out, and a lower trigger means more visits in a snowy month. The City of London works the same way: its winter maintenance FAQ says plows go out on local streets after 10 cm.
| Month | Days with 0.2 cm or more | Days with 5 cm or more | Days with 10 cm or more |
|---|---|---|---|
| November | 5.9 | 1.2 | 0.39 |
| December | 11.6 | 2.8 | 1.0 |
| January | 15.2 | 3.4 | 0.67 |
| February | 11.8 | 2.4 | 0.88 |
| March | 8.1 | 1.9 | 0.65 |
| April | 3.5 | 0.53 | 0.27 |
Source: Environment and Climate Change Canada, 1991 to 2020 Canadian Climate Normals.
The table counts calendar days, not storms or visits: January averages 3.4 days with at least 5 cm but only 0.67 days with 10 cm or more. Ask what happens when a snowfall stops just short of the trigger.
What a written snow contract should say
A written snow contract should spell out the work, the price, the dates and how either side can cancel, including:
- Each area to clear: the driveway, the end of the driveway, walks, steps or a lot
- The trigger depth and how it is measured
- Salting, and whether it costs extra
- Any visit limit, and the charge for visits beyond it
- The start and end dates of the season
- The total price with taxes, and when payments are due
- The operator's name, telephone number and business address
Windrows, walkways and salting: what is included
Only what the contract lists is included, so get the windrow, walks, steps and salting written in. The windrow is the snow a City plow leaves across the end of a driveway: the City of London says a plow will fill in driveways, and that "It's the property owner's responsibility to maintain property access." The City plow can pass after the operator has been, so ask whether the end is cleared again and whether that counts as a visit.
Season dates and London's snow season
Check that the dates cover the whole season. London's 1991 to 2020 climate normals show snowfall from November, at 19.5 cm on average, to April, at 9.6 cm, peaking in January at 52.0 cm.
Winters vary. In December 2025, the City said of the 2024 to 2025 winter: "The second-highest accumulation of snow that we've seen in 30 years." A visit limit that is plenty in a light winter can run out in a heavy one. London snowfall, month by month has the full figures.
What Ontario's Consumer Protection Act says about contracts
Ontario's Consumer Protection Act, 2002 is the law in force; e-Laws marks the Consumer Protection Act, 2023 "NOT YET IN FORCE". This section quotes the law and is not legal advice: whether a rule applies to a particular contract is a legal question.
Getting it in writing
Ontario's guide to your rights when signing or cancelling a contract says "most agreements for a product or service that costs more than $50 must be in writing". The Act defines a future performance agreement as "a consumer agreement in respect of which delivery, performance or payment in full is not made when the parties enter the agreement". When the total potential payment, not counting the cost of borrowing, is more than $50 (Ontario Regulation 17/05), section 22 requires such an agreement to be in writing and delivered to the consumer, and the regulation lists what it must set out, including the supplier's name, telephone number and business address, an itemized price list including taxes and the dates the services start and finish.
Contracts signed at your door
The guide says, "You always have a cooling-off period when you sign a contract in your home," and that you can cancel it for any reason within 10 days of receiving a written copy. The Act calls an agreement negotiated or concluded in person away from the supplier's place of business a direct agreement. Snow removal is not on Ontario's list of products and services that cannot be sold at your home unless you start the transaction.
If the work never starts
The guide says a company has 30 days from the date in the contract, or from signing when no date is given, to provide the services, and that you can otherwise cancel at any time before it starts, a right you lose if you accept the services after the 30 days. It recommends cancelling by email or registered mail so there is a record, and says that for most contracts the company has 15 days to return your money.
Seasonal contract or pay per visit
Choose a seasonal contract if you want every snowfall over the trigger depth handled under one set of terms, and pay per visit if you only need help after a particular storm. A seasonal contract settles the terms early, though a light winter can leave you paying for more than you use; paying per visit follows the actual winter.
What affects the price
No price list is published here, because the price depends on the property and the terms: the driveway or lot size, the trigger depth, salting, the visits covered, the length of the season and extras such as walks, steps or hauling snow away. Sending a request is free and does not commit anyone to anything.
Questions about seasonal snow contracts
What should a seasonal snow removal contract say?
It should list what will be cleared, the trigger depth, whether salting and the end of the driveway are included, any visit limit, the season dates, the price with taxes, the payment terms and how either side can cancel.
Can I cancel a snow removal contract I signed at my door?
Ontario's consumer guidance says you always have a cooling-off period when you sign a contract in your home, and that you can cancel it for any reason within 10 days of receiving a written copy. Whether that applies to a particular snow contract is a legal question.
What if the operator never starts the work?
Ontario's consumer guidance says a company has 30 days from the date in the contract, or from signing when no date is given, to provide the services, and that you can otherwise cancel at any time before it starts. You lose that right if you accept the services after the 30 days.
How many visits does a season usually need in London?
There is no set number, because it depends on the winter and the trigger depth. The 1981 to 2010 normals at London International Airport list 13.2 days a year with at least 5 cm of snowfall.
Does the contract cover the snowbank the City plow leaves?
Only if it says so, so ask for the end of the driveway to be written in. The City of London says its plows will fill in driveways and that maintaining property access is the property owner's responsibility.
Ask about a seasonal snow contract
Tell us about the property, what needs clearing and when you want the contract to start. Sending a request is free and does not commit anyone to anything.
- We read every request and reply by email or phone.
- The work is arranged with a local snow clearing operator.
- Nothing is booked until you agree to what will be cleared, when and for what price.