Waterloo region, Guelph could see 15 cm of snow Saturday night

Environment Canada has issued a winter weather travel advisory for Waterloo region, Guelph-Wellington and surrounding areas.

The weather agency says there will be reduced visibility in some areas.

Around 10 to 15 centimetres of heavy snowfall is expected Saturday afternoon and into the evening.

"The heaviest snowfall is expected this [Saturday] evening," Environment Canada said in the advisory posted online.

"Snow will taper to flurries early Sunday morning... Be prepared to adjust your driving with changing road conditions. Slow down driving in slippery conditions."

On Saturday, Ontario Provincial Police Sgt. Kerry Schmidt posted a video on X, asking drivers to clear ice off of their cars before they get on the road.

"After the snow has fallen, please make sure to clear your vehicle of ice and snow," he said.

"We don't want that snow flying off, causing a whiteout condition behind you. And we don't want that snow compressing, turning into sheets of ice, flying into vehicles behind you. That can cause damage and can cause collisions and crashes."

Temporary parking ban in effect

The cities of Kitchener and Waterloo both declared a snow event Saturday, which means there will be a parking ban in effect for 24 hours starting at midnight.

"During a snow event, the City's tag-and-tow process takes effect," said the city of Kitchener in a news release.

"Residents are prohibited from parking their cars on city streets at any time when a snow event has been declared by the City."

The city of Waterloo says its staff will try to clear snow off of all city streets within 24 hours.

"During a snowfall, crews will return multiple times to clear snow on main roads and GRT bus routes," the city said in a news release.

"Residents are asked to be patient and allow crews to get their work done as quickly as possible."

Anyone who parks on the street during a snow event in Kitchener or Waterloo will be fined $80.

All overnight parking exemptions have also been cancelled, to allow snow plows to get through the city.

Reminder to clear snow off sidewalks

The city of Waterloo is also reminding people to clear snow from sidewalks around their home or business within 24 hours after the end of a snow storm.

"Snow or ice-covered sidewalks can be treacherous for all residents, especially those who already have mobility restrictions," said the city of Waterloo in a news release.

"City crews maintain approximately 170 kilometres of sidewalks and trails. When possible, we ask residents to please minimize their use of trails and sidewalks after a snow event to allow staff time to complete their snow clearing operations.

"Crews use trackless units with plows, blowers and salters for most of this work. This equipment moves much more slowly than a road plow, and it is not unusual for roads to be cleared before city-maintained sidewalks and trails."

The city said its staff will first clear snow off of primary sidewalks and trails before clearing secondary routes.

"During continuous snowfalls, primary routes may require multiple passes before staff can move into the lesser used secondary routes," the news release said.