What Belongs in Your Business's Winter Emergency Plan

4 min read · Thames Valley Snow, London, Ontario

A winter emergency plan for your business goes beyond just having a snow removal contract in place. It's a broader set of decisions made ahead of time so a major storm doesn't catch your operation off guard.

Communication protocols should be the first piece. Know in advance how you'll notify staff about closures or delayed openings, how customers will find out if hours are affected, and who's responsible for making that call when a storm is developing. Deciding this during the storm wastes time you don't have.

Your snow removal contractor's contact information and response commitments should be documented and accessible to whoever is managing the property, not just sitting in one person's inbox. If the usual point of contact is unavailable during a storm, someone else needs to be able to step in without delay.

Backup plans for critical operations matter too. If your business depends on deliveries, staff arriving on time, or specific access points staying clear, think through what happens if any of those pieces fail during a severe storm, and have a contingency ready rather than improvising in the moment.

Map Out Your Priority Areas

Walk the property in the fall and decide which areas must be usable first after a storm. For most businesses that means the main entrance, accessible parking, fire exits and any delivery door. Write those areas down and share the list with your snow contractor so everyone works from the same order. Marking curbs, edges and drains before the season also helps avoid damage when the snow is deep.

Keep Records You Can Rely On

If someone slips on your property, records matter. Keep a simple winter log showing when the lot was cleared and salted, and ask your contractor for proof of each visit. Thames Valley Snow takes timestamped photos on service visits, which gives you a clear record of when work was done. Store these records somewhere the whole management team can reach.

Check Insurance Before the First Storm

Ask your snow contractor for a certificate of insurance before the season starts and file it with your plan. Thames Valley Snow carries $2,000,000 in liability coverage and WSIB, and provides a certificate of insurance on request. Confirm your own business policy covers winter slip-and-fall claims too.

Plan for Staff and Supplies

Decide who can work from home, who must be on site, and what happens if key staff cannot get in. Keep a small stock of ice melt near the doors for touch-ups between visits, plus shovels, flashlights and a charged phone bank in case of a power outage. Review the plan each fall and update phone numbers and contacts.

Test the Plan Once a Year

A plan only works if people know it exists. Once each fall, run through it with your managers: who makes the closure call, how staff hear about it, where the contractor contact sheet lives and which doors open first. Fix any gaps you find, then save the updated copy where everyone can reach it.

Frequently Asked Questions

When should a business set up its winter plan?

Ideally in October or early November, before the first snowfall, so the contract, priority areas and contact list are all in place.

How are commercial snow removal prices set?

Commercial sites are priced per site, based on the size and layout of the property. Service starts automatically once 5 cm of snow falls.

Want a set price for your property? Request a free quote or call or text (548) 888-8702. Quotes come back within 2 business days. You can also read about commercial snow removal and our prices.

What's included… and what's extra

Commercial snow service is priced per site from paved area, walkway length and opening time. A typical contract includes plowing at the agreed trigger depth, clearing before opening, hand-cleared entrances, sidewalks and ramps, and a timestamped photo log of every visit.

Common extras are quoted separately so you only pay for what the site needs: salting and de-icing per event, extra sidewalk or ramp coverage, after-hours or priority service, and snow relocation when piles run out of room. See commercial snow removal or request a site quote by calling or texting (548) 888-8702.