• The Town is emphasizing the importance of keeping fire hydrants free of obstructions throughout the year.
  • Updated by-law language now explicitly requires property occupants to clear a one-metre radius around hydrants within 24 hours of a snowfall.
  • Penalties include a $200 fine for a first offence, escalating to $300 for a second and $450 for a third.
  • Officials underscored that quick access to hydrants is critical for emergency response and public safety.
  • The revised by-law clarifies expectations that were previously implied but not clearly stated.
  • A future communications campaign will help ensure residents understand their responsibilities.

 

Stouffville Council reinforced the Town’s call for property owners to keep fire hydrants unobstructed during the winter months, approving updates to the Waterworks Distribution System By-Law. The changes introduce clear expectations and steep penalties for failing to promptly remove snow and ice, which can impede emergency crews.

“As our town continues to grow and lot sizes become smaller, fire hydrants are now often located closer to driveways and other property features,” a Staff report explains. “Heavier snowfalls increasingly obscure fire hydrants, making them difficult to locate quickly in the event of an emergency.”

Officials emphasized that firefighters lose critical time when hydrants are buried, and that access cannot be guaranteed unless snow is cleared promptly. Although the current by-law prohibits the “placement” of obstructions such as building materials or plants, expectations around snow removal have been based more on interpretation than direct wording.

The revised by-law, set for final approval during Council’s Dec. 3 meeting, would explicitly require occupants to ensure hydrants on their property, or on adjacent boulevards, remain visible and free of all obstructions. The rule includes snow and ice within a one-meter radius, which must be cleared within 24 hours after a winter storm.

During the Nov. 19 Council meeting, Councillor Rick Upton asked whether enforcement would rely on complaints or if by-law officers would take a proactive approach. “Our first line of action will be education versus laying fines,” Chief Administrative Officer Sunny Bains replied, adding that officers will nonetheless be proactive.

“Every second matters in the case of an emergency, so we want to ensure that our hydrants are clear as quickly as possible after a snowfall,” he continued. Penalties escalate with each violation: $200 for a first offence, $300 for a second, and $450 for a third. Tickets and appeals will be processed through the Town’s Administrative Monetary Penalty System.

Bains also stressed that accessibility supports will remain available. The Town’s windrow clearing service will continue to assist residents with mobility challenges or other disabilities by clearing hydrants on their behalf.

“I also think there is an opportunity to be neighbourly and help each other, and that’s what happened last year when we had extreme snowfalls,” Bains added. “We often saw neighbours helping neighbours.”

The Town is considering a range of outreach options as part of a larger winter maintenance communications campaign to ensure residents are aware of the policy. With website updates and social media messaging already planned, additional strategies could include printed materials delivered door-to-door, mobile signs placed around town, or individual yard signs installed beside hydrants to keep the issue front of mind.

“If something is in front of my house and I see it every day, and it’s a Town sign, I’m going to pay attention,” Mayor Iain Lovatt said. “And then there is very little excuse that I didn’t know.”