Coquitlam urges residents to prepare for the winter season

With winter approaching, Coquitlam Public Works crews are ready for the season, and the City is urging residents to prepare as well. Snow, ice, wind and rain can cause flooding or power failures. The City says its crews work around the clock during snow and winter events to keep roads safe and essential services running; residents can also help reduce disruptions and improve community safety.

**Home and property:** Shut off and drain outdoor faucets and plumbing outside heated areas to prevent freezing and burst pipes. Isolate and winterize automatic irrigation systems. Trim dead branches and remove hazardous trees that could fall on power lines or homes during a storm. Clear nearby catch basin grates to help prevent flooding. Find nearby catch basins at coquitlam.ca/AdoptaCatchBasin; residents and businesses can also adopt one to help keep neighbourhoods flood-free. Keep flashlights, electric lanterns and extra batteries on hand, and prepare an emergency kit. Details are at coquitlam.ca/WinterPrep. Consider a safe backup heat source that does not use fuel. Never use gas, propane or kerosene heaters indoors because of the risks of carbon monoxide poisoning and fire.

**Vehicles:** Have a qualified mechanic winterize your vehicle. Keep a small portable emergency kit in it with food, water, extra clothing, first-aid supplies and other necessities; resources are available at coquitlam.ca/WinterPrep. Work from home if possible when significant snowfall is forecast, or take transit during snow events, especially if you are inexperienced with winter driving. If you need to drive, make sure your vehicle has good snow tires suited to snow, ice and lower temperatures. Slow down for road conditions and allow extra travel time.

**Parking restrictions when it snows:** When snow is forecast, the City asks everyone to park vehicles on private property wherever off-street parking is available, rather than on the street. This includes residents of secondary suites. Keeping streets clear of parked vehicles helps snowplows clear roads more effectively. Residents should also follow any posted or activated winter parking restrictions. Restrictions are activated on several higher-elevation streets whenever snow is forecast and remain in effect until the snow event ends. The City sends email notices through its Winter Parking Restriction NotifyMe service. See the affected streets under the “Parking Restrictions” tab at coquitlam.ca/WinterWise and sign up for alerts to avoid a ticket or tow.

**Residents’ responsibilities:** Under Boulevard Maintenance Bylaw No. 4853, 2018, section 3, “Snow and Ice Removal,” residents must clear all sidewalks around their property within 10 hours after snowfall stops. Do not shovel sidewalk snow onto the roadway. Facing the road, shovel it onto your yard to the right of your driveway so a plow does not push it back onto your sidewalk and driveway. If a snowplow approaches while you are walking, move to the inside of the sidewalk and stay clear until it passes. The City clears roads and civic properties according to a priority system that supports public safety and access for public transportation. Check your street’s priority at coquitlam.ca/WinterWise. Report issues or missed areas through the real-time Snow Reporting Response Tool at coquitlam.ca/SnowResponse.

**Family, friends and neighbours:** Help loved ones who live alone prepare for winter, especially anyone with limited mobility. During an extreme snow or ice event, you may not be able to reach their home as you normally would. Keep an adequate supply of prescriptions, food and essentials in case conditions limit travel. Dress warmly and wear shoes or boots with good traction to help prevent slips and falls. Residents can volunteer as a Snow Angel to help people who need support shovelling sidewalks; details are at coquitlam.ca/SnowAngels. You can also help neighbours clear a catch basin, shovel a sidewalk or move garbage carts, especially if they are older or have limited mobility.

**Curbside collection in winter conditions:** Waste collection may be delayed or temporarily cancelled when winter road conditions occur. Continue putting out Garbage and Green Carts on your scheduled collection day, and make sure they are visible and accessible to crews. If weather causes a missed collection, crews will try to return the following day. If collection is still not possible, materials will be collected on the next regularly scheduled day. Download the free Coquitlam Curbside Collection app or sign up for phone or email notifications at coquitlam.ca/recollect for instant, property-specific service disruption alerts. Curbside recycling in Coquitlam is managed by Recycle BC, not the City. For winter recycling updates, download the free Recycle BC app or visit RecycleBC.ca/Coquitlam.

Coquitlam’s Winter Wise program starts each winter to reduce the impacts of snow, ice, storms, colder temperatures, wind, power outages, heavy rain and flooding. While the City works to keep roads safe and reduce service disruptions, it encourages residents to clear sidewalks and catch basins, park off-street to allow plowing, and prepare for extended power failures or impassable roads. More information about City services and residents’ winter responsibilities is available at coquitlam.ca/WinterWise.