Grounds Services at Â鶹¹ÙÍø's University is responsible for managing snow and ice on university-owned roads, walkways, entrances, and other outdoor spaces to help maintain a safe and accessible environment for students, employees, and visitors.
This page outlines the university's approach to winter operations, including snow and ice control priorities and response procedures during winter weather events. Due to the size and complexity of campus, snow and ice removal is carried out according to a priority-based service model that focuses first on critical routes and high-traffic areas.
Grounds Services continuously monitors weather conditions and deploys resources as required to support safe campus travel. This winter maintenance strategy is reviewed annually and updated as needed to reflect operational improvements, changing campus requirements, and best practices.
During significant winter weather events, updates on campus operations and impacts will be communicated through the SeQure app and Instagram. Download the SeQure app and follow to stay informed.
Snow and Ice Clearing Timelines
Following a winter event, snow and ice are cleared based on priority level. Clearing timelines will vary depending on the severity of the event (minor, moderate, major, significant).
Clearing timelines apply between the hours of 7:00 AM and 7:00 PM. Weather conditions and snow accumulation are based on .
Please see the list of Â鶹¹ÙÍø's Priority #1 Entrances, Walkways, Parking Lots and Roadways below.
For snow accumulation less than 5 cm:
- Priority 1 areas are cleared within 3-4 hours
- Priority 2 areas are cleared within 6-8 hours
For snow accumulation 5 - 15 cm:
- Priority 1 areas are cleared within 6-8 hours
- Priority 2 areas are cleared within 10-16 hours
For snow accumulation greater than 15 cm:
- Priority 1 areas are cleared within 8-10 hours
- Priority 2 areas are cleared within 18-24 hours
A significant weather event is any current or forecasted weather hazard that could significantly impact road safety and travel conditions. When a significant weather event is anticipated, Environment Canada will issue a regional weather alert. Once a significant weather event has been declared, it may take longer than usual to clear roads, sidewalks, and pathways. Winter maintenance service levels may be delayed until the event has ended and normal operations have resumed.
Sustainable Snow and Ice Management
Â鶹¹ÙÍø's University is committed to a sustainable approach to winter maintenance that balances safety, accessibility, and environmental stewardship. By prioritizing snow and ice control efforts, Grounds Services can focus resources where they are needed most during winter weather events.
This priority-based approach helps reduce overall salt use by targeting critical areas rather than applying de-icing materials uniformly across campus. Reducing salt use helps minimize impacts on soils, vegetation, groundwater, and nearby waterways while maintaining safe travel conditions.
Prioritization also supports a more equitable and accessible campus. By clearing and treating high-use and barrier-free routes first, Grounds Services helps ensure that individuals with accessibility needs can continue to navigate campus safely and reliably during winter conditions.
Priority #1
- 9 St. Lawrence Ave. - East Side Accessible Entrance
- 78 Barrie - East Main Entrance (Non-Accessible)
- 96 Albert Street - East Entrance (Non-Accessible)
- 169 University - West Main Entrance
- 183 University - West Main Entrance
- 187A King Street - South Side Entrance (Non-Accessible)
- 190 University - East Main Entrance
- 235 Frontenac (KCVI) - North Gym Entrance
- Abramsky Hall - North Accessible Entrance
- Adelaide Hall - South East Main Entrance
- Agnes Etherington - TBD
- Ban Righ Hall - North East Accessible Entrance; North West Steps
- Beamish-Munro Hall - South West Non-Accessible Entrance; Dupuis North Accessible Entrance; South East Accessible Entrance
- Biosciences Complex / Earl Hall - South West Accessible Entrance; South East Accessible Entrance
- Botterell Hall - North Main Accessible Entrance
- Brant House - East Side Accessible Entrance
- Bruce Wing 5 - North East Accessible Entrance
- Cancer Research Building - North East Corner Entrance
- Carruthers Hall - North West Accessible Entrance
- Cataraqui Building - East Main Accessible Entrance
- Chernoff Auditorium - North Side Accessible Entrance
- Chernoff Hall - North Side Accessible Entrance
- Chown Hall - South Side Main Entrance (Non-Accessible)
- Clark Hall - North East Accessible Entrance; East Accessible Entrance
- David C. Smith House - North Side Accessible Entrance
- Daycare (Union St.) - South Drop-Off Entrance
- Douglas Library - West Main Accessible Entrance
- Dunning Hall - South West Accessible Entrance; East Side Staircase (Non-Accessible)
- Dupuis Hall - North East Accessible Entrance
- Ellis Hall - West Main Accessible Entrance
- Endaayaan Tkanonsote Residence - East Side Accessible Entrance; Courtyard Accessible Entrance
- Etherington Hall - East Side Accessible Entrance
- Faculty of Law - North Main Accessible Entrance; South Accessible Entrance
- Fleming (Pollock & Jemmett Wings) - South Side Pollock Wing Entrance; North Side Jemmett Wing Entrance
- Four Directions - West Accessible Entrance
- Goodes Hall - South East Accessible Entrance
- Goodwin Hall - South East Accessible Entrance
- Gord Brockington Hall - East Side Accessible Entrance
- Gordon Hall - North Accessible Entrance
- Grad Club - Not Supported
- Grant Hall - Main Entrance
- Harkness Hall - South Main Entrance
- Harrison LeCaine Hall - South Side Accessible Entrance
- Humphrey Hall / Crane Building - South Accessible Entrance at Crane Building; East Main Entrance
- Jackson Hall - West Main Entrance (Non-Accessible)
- Jeffery Hall - East Accessible Entrance
- John Deutsch Centre - South Accessible Entrance; North West Accessible Entrance; South Student Entrance
- Kathleen Ryan Hall - North Accessible Entrance
- Kinesiology - South Main Accessible Entrance; North East Accessible Entrance
- Kingston Hall - South East Accessible Entrance; North Side Steps (Non-Accessible)
- LaSalle Building - North Side Accessible Entrance
- Leggett Hall - North Side Accessible Entrance
- Leonard Hall - East Side Accessible Entrance; North Side Entrance; South Side Steps/Path to East Accessible Entrance
- Louise D. Acton Building - South East Accessible Entrance; East Accessible Entrance
- Mac-Corry - North West Accessible Entrance; North West Accessible Entrance (South Building)
- Macklem House (18 Barrie) - North Main Entrance (Non-Accessible)
- MacGillivray-Brown Hall - North East Accessible Entrance
- McLaughlin Hall - West Accessible Entrance; North Main Entrance
- McNeill House - East Side Accessible Entrance
- Miller Hall - South West Accessible Entrance; North Steps (Non-Accessible)
- Mitchell Hall - North Accessible Entrance; South Main Entrance; South East Accessible Entrance
- Morris Hall - East Side Main Entrance (Non-Accessible)
- Nicol Hall - East Side Accessible Entrance
- Old Medical Building - Secondary Only (Not Used)
- Ontario Hall - East Accessible Entrance; North Side of Circular Steps
- Â鶹¹ÙÍø's Centre - South West Accessible Entrance; South Accessible Entrance; North Accessible Entrance
- Richardson Hall - South East Accessible Entrance
- Richardson Labs - North Side Accessible Entrance
- Rideau Building - South Side Accessible Entrance
- Robert Sutherland Hall - North Main Entrance (Accessible); South East Accessible Entrance
- School of Medicine - North Accessible Entrance; South West Accessible Entrance; South East Accessible Entrance
- Stauffer Library - South West Accessible Entrance; South East Accessible Entrance; North East Accessible Entrance on South Building
- Stirling Hall - South Side Accessible Entrance
- Stuart Parking Garage - 2 South Doorways; North East Entrance Bollards Are Secondary
- Summerhill / AB House - South West Accessible Entrance; South East Accessible Entrance
- Theology Hall - North Accessible Entrance
- Union St. Parking Garage - East Central Doorway; South East Doorway
- University Club - North Side Accessible Entrance
- Victoria Hall - South East Accessible Entrance; East Side of Staircase
- Waldron Tower / Quinte Lodge - South Main Entrance
- Walter Light Hall - South Main Entrance (Non-Accessible); South West Accessible Entrance
- Watson Hall - South Side Accessible Entrance; North Side Accessible Entrance
- Watts Hall - West Side Accessible Entrance
- Castle Lab - North Side Accessible Entrance
- Coastal Lab - West Side Accessible Entrance
- Duncan McArthur - South Side Accessible Entrance; North Side Accessible Entrance (Paul Park)
- Jean Royce 1 - North Side Main Entrance (Non-Accessible)
- Jean Royce 2 - South Side Main Entrance (Non-Accessible)
- Lange Pavilion - South Side Staff Entrance (Accessible)
- Richardson Stadium
- 355 King/PTCC - North Main Accessible Entrance (PTCC); South Side Main Accessible Entrance (355 King); King Street Entrance Accessible Ramp; North Entrance (Non-Accessible)
- Donald Gordon Centre - South Main Accessible Entrance
- IBCPA - North Accessible Entrance; Southwest Stage Entrance; Switchback Ramp at King Street
- Grant Timmins Properties - All doors and paths/ phasing not efficient
- Haynes Hall - All doors and paths/ phasing not efficient
Map Coming Soon
Priority #2
Priority #2 encompasses all other entrances, walkways, parking lots and roadways not listed under Priority #1.
Definitions
Significant Weather Event: means an approaching or occurring weather hazard with the potential to pose a significant danger to sidewalk, bicycle lane, and roadway users.
Snow Accumulation: means the natural accumulation of any of the following that, alone or together, covers more than half a lane width of a roadway:
- Newly-fallen snow
- Wind-blown snow
- Slush
Weather Hazard: means the weather hazards determined by Environment Canada as meeting the criteria for the issuance of an alert under its Public Weather Alerting Program.
Winter Event: means the weather condition affecting roads such as snowfall, blowing snow, sleet, freezing rain, frost, or ice, to which a winter event response is required.
Source:
To report an issue, please contact Client Services (Fixit).