The City of Edmonton has rules about who is responsible for cleaning up abandoned trash and snow/ice removal on boulevards and sidewalks. The Community Standards Bylaw requires property owners to manage the garbage and remove the snow and ice on the sidewalk and boulevard near their property. 

Property owners are responsible for cleaning up the garbage even if they didn’t put it there. Owners are also responsible for cutting the grass and maintaining the boulevards in front of their property.

Property owners include owners of private property and businesses as well as non-profit organizations, such as churches, social agencies, etc. 

If a property owner fails to maintain the boulevard near their property, or remove abandoned trash near their property, or clear the nearby sidewalk of snow and ice, you can complain to the City by calling 311. If a City Bylaw Officer validates your complaint, the City may clean up the site of garbage and remove the ice and snow and charge the property owner with the cost of the clean-up and/or issue a ticket. 

When a property is located beside a laneway, the owner is also responsible for maintaining the area to the centre of the laneway. The property owner on the other side of the laneway is responsible for maintaining the area to the middle of the laneway. 

All property owners are responsible for ensuring the sidewalks around their property and the area between the boulevard and halfway into the street are free from garbage. The bottom line is that if someone abandons a mattress or other garbage on the sidewalk near a property or on the boulevard or on the street in front of the property, the owner is responsible for removing it. 

 

The bottom line is that if someone abandons a mattress or other garbage on the sidewalk near a property or on the boulevard or on the street in front of the property, the owner is responsible for removing it. 

The Community Standards Bylaw also requires property owners to clear sidewalks of snow and ice around their property as soon as possible after it snows. However, there is no timeframe for when snow and ice must be removed. 

The City standard for a “clean” sidewalk is that all the snow and ice is cleared to the cement/asphalt for the entire width and length of the sidewalk. Sand, gravel, and/or ice melt can be spread on the sidewalk as a temporary measure while the snow and ice is being removed.

Failure to maintain your sidewalks free of ice and snow could result in a $100 fine plus the cost of their removal. Fines can be appealed.

Free sand is available in a box by the rink on 96th Street. Seniors needing help with snow and ice removal can call 311 or 211 to connect with the Edmonton Seniors Home Support Program. You can also access information about the program at https://www.edmonton.ca/programs_services/for_seniors/help-around-the-home.

Phil lives in McCauley.