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Does your Bowen street have snow clearing priority? Things to know before the snow

For those craving some hardy Canadian winter weather, you’re in luck this week.
Cove shot of Bowen

For those craving some hardy Canadian winter weather, you’re in luck this week.

With a dusting of snow expected in Metro Vancouver and Howe Sound Thursday evening and tomorrow morning (albeit mixed with rain) and below zero temperatures in the week ahead islanders may want to get out their snow shovels and crampons.

This also means that islanders need to be aware of Bowen Island Municipality’s road snow clearing policies.

BIM’s Public Works department follows this map when salting and plowing the roads.

BIM's snow clearing priority map.
BIM's snow clearing priority map. - Courtesy of Bowen Island Municipality

Public Works prioritizes primary roads (green), the bus routes and main roads, followed by secondary roads (blue) when the snow’s stopped and tertiary roads (purple) when the other roads are clear.

BIM reminds islanders that keeping narrow roads clear of cars allows these plows and salting trucks to pass and turn around. “If a plow is unable to turn around at the end of a road, it can't clear the road,” reads the BIM website.

It is also property owners’responsibility to keep sidewalks clear, shovelling and then salting where necessary.