Winnipeg snow-clearing company threatened with noise fines

A Manitoba company says city rules are preventing them from clearing snow from homes early in the morning. CTV’s Jeff Keele reports.

A snow-clearing company said City of Winnipeg rules are preventing it from getting driveways done as soon as possible.

Green Blade Lawn Care, which also handles snow removal, aims to finish driveways early so homeowners can get to work on time.

But owner Tim Muys said the city’s regulations have created a hurdle.

“We’ve had noise complaints that have escalated where they’ve threatened fines,” he said.

Muys said city bylaw officers have warned him about complaints that have been made against the company. He’s being told his company can’t make noise with snow blowers before 7 a.m. and after 9 p.m. weekdays under the city’s Neighbourhood Liveability Bylaw.

He believes there should be an exception for at least a couple of days after the snow falls.

“You can’t come outside when there’s three-foot drifts in your driveway and start shovelling away for two hours before you have to get to work at 6 o’clock in the morning,” Muys said.

The issue does not appear to be as clear as one might think.

There are exemptions after a storm. For example, crews clear city streets and sidewalks overnight. City officials tell Coun. Janice Lukes (Waverley West) there is flexibility for legitimate snow removal overnight, like clearing driveways. But prolonged idling and scraping sounds could still get you in trouble.

The bylaw also says a person must not “operate or permit the operation of (a)… snowblower, or similar device out of doors within 150 metres of a residential property” in those overnight hours.

“It does seem like a little bit of a grey area,” Lukes said.

Lukes, who is the chair of the public works committee, said the city is looking at rewriting bylaws to simplify them with clear direction. She suggests this should occur in this case.

“Driveways aren’t that large, how long does it take?” Lukes said. “We are a snow city. I would default to let the contractor do his work.”

But the bylaw is in place for a reason, to make sure noise isn’t occurring at all hours. There may be homeowners who don’t want to hear snow blower engines late at night, or at the crack of dawn.

“A few minutes of running a snow blower shouldn’t be that big of a deal to endure,” Muys said. “It’s not like it happens every single day of the winter.”