RESIDENTIAL CARE

Snow Removal in Richmond Hill and Across the GTA

Shade Tree Landscaping provides residential and commercial snow removal in Richmond Hill, Vaughan, Markham, Thornhill, Aurora and the surrounding GTA. Driveways, walkways, steps and parking lots, cleared and salted through the whole winter on a flat seasonal contract.

CALL US TODAY

+1 (416) 900-8918

What does Snow Removal Include?

Snow removal covers clearing snow from your driveway, walkways, steps and entrances, plus salting or sanding to stop ice forming afterward. Commercial snow removal adds parking lots, fire routes and loading areas. Most GTA snow removal services work to a trigger depth, meaning crews are sent out once snowfall reaches an agreed amount.

What our Snow Removal Service Covers in Richmond Hill and the GTA

Residential snow removal:
driveways, walkways and steps

Driveway snow removal, including double and triple-wide driveways
Walkway snow removal, front paths and side paths
Steps, porches and landings
The windrow at the end of your driveway, the ridge the city plow leaves behind
Salting and de-icing on request

Commercial snow removal for parking lots, plazas and condos

Commercial work is where most of our winter operation sits. We service condominium corporations, townhouse complexes, retail plazas, industrial sites and properties under professional management across Richmond Hill, Toronto and the GTA.

Parking lots and drive aisles
Fire routes and emergency exits
Sidewalks and building entrances
Loading docks and ramps
Salting, sanding and de-icing
Snow stacking, and hauling off-site when the piles get too large

Our winter crew more than doubles in size for the season, so a large site does not mean a slower response.

Who Clears Sidewalks and Windrows in Richmond Hill, and What is Still Yours

This catches a lot of people out, and the answer changes depending on which municipality you are in.

In Richmond Hill, the city does more than most. It maintains roughly 1,100 lane kilometres of road and close to 750 kilometres of sidewalk, and it clears windrows from more than 50,000 residential driveways. Plowing begins once around 5 cm has accumulated. At 10 cm or more, the city may declare a Significant Weather Event, which means clearing takes longer than the usual standard.

So in Richmond Hill, the public sidewalk in front of your house is generally the city’s responsibility, not yours.

What is still yours: your driveway, your private walkway, your steps and your porch. The city does not touch those. That is the part our snow removal service handles.

One catch on windrows. Richmond Hill’s windrow clearing can take up to 13 hours after the snow stops, and it only begins once the road plows have finished their routes. If you need to leave at 6 a.m., 13 hours is a long wait. That single gap is the reason most of our residential snow removal customers sign up.

Markham, Vaughan and Aurora work differently. Markham’s windrow assistance is limited to households where every resident is 60 or older, or where a doctor’s certificate is provided. If you do not qualify, the windrow is yours to move.

How our Richmond Hill
Snow Removal Service Works, Step By Step

We assess your property

Send photos or we will come by. We need the size, the slope, where snow can be stacked, and anything awkward like a tight turn or a shared driveway.

You get a flat seasonal price

One number for the whole winter, agreed before the season starts. No per-visit invoices to guess at.

We stake your property from late October

Markers along the driveway edges so nothing gets clipped in the dark. Staking runs from the end of October into early November, ahead of contracts starting on 15 November.

We arrive when it snows

No phone call needed. Once accumulation reaches the trigger depth in your agreement, your property is on the route.

We salt if your contract includes it

Either automatically after clearing, or on request.

Snow Removal Prices in Richmond Hill: What Affects Your Quote

Most residential snow removal in the GTA is sold as a seasonal contract: one price covering the entire winter, however much snow falls. Some companies also sell per-push service, where you pay each time crews attend.Seasonal is the more common choice, because a heavy winter does not cost you more. Per-push can work out cheaper in a mild year, but you are gambling on the weather.

What moves your snow removal price:

Driveway Size

A single-car driveway and a triple-wide driveway are very different jobs.

What is Included

Driveway snow removal only, or driveway plus walkway plus steps.

Salting

Included in the contract, charged on request, or not offered.

Trigger Depth

A 2 cm trigger means far more visits across a season than a 5 cm trigger.

Access

Tight driveways, steep slopes and shared entrances take longer to clear.

Where the Snow Goes

If there is nowhere on site to stack it, it has to be hauled away, and hauling costs more.

When You Book

Pricing and availability are both better before the season fills up.

Commercial snow removal is priced differently. Lot size matters, but so does how quickly the property has to be clear. A medical clinic opening at 7 a.m. needs a different service level than a warehouse opening at 10.

When to Book Snow Removal for the Winter Season

Book before 15 November. That is when our snow contracts start, and it is also when we stop taking new customers for the season.

We do not generally accept snow removal customers mid-season. There are two reasons, and neither is a sales tactic.

First, routes are built before the season starts. Snow removal runs on geography: crews work a fixed route through a neighbourhood, and adding a property mid-winter pushes back every customer already on that route.

Second, properties are staked in late October and early November, before the ground freezes. A property that has not been staked cannot be cleared safely in the dark.

If you are reading this after 15 November, call anyway and we will tell you honestly whether anything can be done, but plan on booking for next season.

Snow Removal Service Areas Across York Region and the GTA

York Region :

Toronto Area :

Also serving :

Not sure whether you are in range?
Call and ask. If we cannot take your property, we can usually point you to someone who can.

why choose us

Why Property Owners Choose Shade Tree for Snow Removal

We are local. Our crews are based in Richmond Hill, not dispatched from an hour away. When a storm hits, that is the difference between being cleared before work and being cleared after.

Service logs on commercial sites. Time-stamped records of every visit and every salt application. If an insurance claim is ever raised, you have documentation to support it.

We are here in summer too. Lawn maintenance, tree work, interlocking and planting. Some snow removal contractors disappear in April. We do not.

Our Reputation

Snow Removal Reviews from Richmond Hill and York Region Customers

Liv Penney, board of directors

“I reside on the board of directors where I live and Shade Tree Landscaping are our preferred company for landscaping and snow removal. They have shown us constant professionalism and pride in their work and business.”

Peter P, residential community

“Great landscaping and snow removal company. They service our community and have always done an excellent job.”

Clayton Cadeau, townhouse complex

“All work is done great, from cutting grass, tree trimming and bushes, garbage clean ups and snowplowing.”

FAQ

Snow Removal in Richmond Hill
Frequently Asked Questions

How soon after it snows will you clear my property?

Our standard contract response time is within 8 hours of snowfall ending, and around 90 percent of the time we arrive earlier than that. During a particularly severe storm, response and deployment times can drift towards the 8 hour limit. Commercial sites with early opening hours receive priority scheduling.

Do you work overnight and at weekends during storms?

Yes. We operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week as required during snow events. Storms do not wait for business hours.

What is a trigger depth in a snow removal contract?

It is the amount of snow that must fall before crews are dispatched. A 5 cm trigger means we attend once 5 cm has accumulated. A lower trigger means more visits across the season and a higher price. Most residential snow removal contracts sit between 2 cm and 5 cm.

Do I need to call you when it snows?

No. If you are on a seasonal snow removal contract, your property is on the route automatically. You do not need to do anything.

When do I need to book by?

Before 15 November, which is when our snow contracts start. We do not generally accept new snow removal customers mid-season, because routes are built before winter and properties are staked in late October and early November.

Does snow removal include salting?

Sometimes. Salting is usually a separate line item, either bundled into your contract or carried out on request. Always ask for it to be written into the agreement, because snow removal means different things to different companies.

Who is responsible for clearing the sidewalk in front of my house in Richmond Hill?

In Richmond Hill, the city plows public sidewalks as part of its winter operations, generally once around 5 cm has accumulated. Your driveway, private walkway and steps remain your responsibility. Rules differ between municipalities, so check with your city if you are outside Richmond Hill.

Will the city clear the windrow at the end of my driveway?

In Richmond Hill, yes. The city clears windrows from more than 50,000 residential driveways at no charge. The catch is timing: it begins after the road plows finish and can take up to 13 hours after snowfall ends. In Markham, windrow assistance is limited to households where every resident is 60 or older or a doctor’s certificate is provided.

Is a seasonal snow removal contract cheaper than per-push?

Across a normal Ontario winter, seasonal usually works out better, and the cost is predictable. Per-push can be cheaper in a mild year, but you are betting on the weather. Most homeowners choose seasonal for the certainty.

What happens during a major snowstorm?

Everything slows down, including the city’s own operations. Richmond Hill can declare a Significant Weather Event at 10 cm or more, which means clearing takes longer than the usual standard. We work through the storm and continue until every property on the route is complete. Priority sites are cleared first.

Do you provide commercial snow removal?

Yes, and it is a large part of what we do. We service condominium corporations, townhouse complexes, retail plazas, industrial sites and properties under professional management across Richmond Hill, Toronto and the GTA. Commercial contracts include salting, service logging and defined response times.

Are you insured for snow removal work?

Yes. We carry $5 million in liability coverage, WSIB coverage at the maximum amount available, and proper commercial auto insurance. We recommend asking any snow removal contractor for proof of all three before signing. Slip-and-fall liability on a commercial property is not something to take on trust.

What areas do you cover for snow removal?

Richmond Hill, Thornhill, Vaughan, Markham, Aurora, Maple, Oak Ridges, King City, Newmarket, Woodbridge, Unionville and Stouffville across York Region, plus the Toronto area including North York, East York, Etobicoke and Scarborough.