Snow Removal for Seniors & People With Limited Mobility

Winter snow clearing can be difficult for anyone, but it can really be a challenge for seniors and people with limited mobility.

A relatively small snowfall can create barriers around a home when a driveway, sidewalk, steps or pathway cannot be cleared safely. In Regina, keeping important walking areas accessible is especially important because snow, drifting and ice can change conditions quickly.

Fortunately, doing the work yourself isn’t the only option. Depending on individual circumstances, help may be available through family or neighbours, volunteer programs, community organizations or professional snow-removal services.

Start With the Areas That Matter Most

The most important areas are usually those needed for safe everyday access, such as:

• The main entrance
• Steps and handrails
• The path between the home and driveway
• Driveways and vehicle-access areas
• Sidewalks
• Access for deliveries or caregivers
• Routes used with walkers, wheelchairs or other mobility devices

When arranging snow removal for someone else, make sure the person doing the clearing understands which areas must remain accessible.

Don’t Assume a Small Snowfall Is a Small Problem

A few centimetres of snow may seem insignificant to someone who can easily walk through it.

For a person using a walker, cane, wheelchair or other mobility aid, the same accumulation can create a much greater obstacle.

Packed snow and ice can be particularly difficult because they may reduce traction and create uneven surfaces.

The goal isn’t simply to make a property look cleared. The important consideration is whether the areas people actually use are reasonably accessible.

Consider Ongoing Help Rather Than Waiting for Each Storm

If clearing snow is regularly difficult, arranging help before winter can be easier than finding someone after every snowfall.

Possible arrangements include:

• Help from family members
• A neighbour willing to clear snow
• Community or volunteer assistance
• Pay-per-visit snow removal
• Monthly service
• A seasonal snow-removal agreement

The best arrangement depends on the property, budget, amount of assistance required and how consistently access needs to be maintained.

Regina’s Snow Angels Program

Regina residents who experience barriers to shovelling may have another option.

The City of Regina supports Snow Angels, a volunteer-driven residential snow-removal initiative operated by participating community associations.

The program is intended to assist households where one or more residents face barriers to shovelling snow and would otherwise be unable to access snow-removal services.

Availability depends on the neighbourhood and participating community association, so residents should check the City’s current information to determine whether a Snow Angels program operates in their area.

Check Your Community Association

Snow Angels isn’t operated as one city-wide crew dispatched from a central location.

Participating community associations organize their own programs, and individual programs may operate somewhat differently.

If assistance is needed, check which community association serves the property and whether it currently participates in Snow Angels.

Because these are volunteer-based programs, don’t assume assistance will always be available. It’s sensible to investigate options before the first major snowfall, particularly when reliable access to the property is essential.

Other Regina Support Options May Be Available

Community organizations can also be worth investigating.

Age-Friendly Regina identifies the Regina Senior Citizens’ Centre’s Home Help Program as one possible source of assistance and notes that lawn care and snow removal are popular services that can have lengthy waiting lists.

Programs, availability, eligibility and costs can change, so check directly with the organization rather than relying on information from a previous winter.

When Hiring Snow Removal for Someone Else

Adult children and other family members often arrange snow removal for a parent or relative.

If you’re doing this, don’t focus only on price.

Make sure you know:

• Which parts of the property will be cleared
• What snowfall amount triggers service
• Whether sidewalks and steps are included
• Whether ice control is available
• How drifting snow is handled
• What happens during prolonged storms
• How service problems are reported
• How and when payment is made

If the person relies on regular caregivers, home-support workers or transportation services, discuss which access routes are particularly important.

Pay Attention to Steps and Entrances

A cleared driveway doesn’t necessarily mean a home is easily accessible.

Steps, porches and the walkway between the driveway and door may be more important to someone with limited mobility than clearing every square metre of the property.

Entrances can also develop ice from melting and refreezing snow.

Regularly checking these smaller areas can be just as important as clearing the driveway itself.

Keep Mobility Equipment in Mind

Someone using a wheelchair, walker or other mobility device may need a wider and more consistently cleared path than someone travelling on foot.

Snowbanks should not unnecessarily narrow important routes, and clearing should provide practical access to places the resident actually needs to reach.

That might include a vehicle door, passenger loading area, mailbox, garbage collection area or another entrance.

Drifting Snow May Require Another Check

Regina wind can move loose snow back across areas that have already been cleared.

That means a morning clearing doesn’t necessarily guarantee that a walkway or driveway will remain open all day.

After periods of strong wind, check important access routes again—especially when someone has an appointment, expects a caregiver or needs to leave the property.

Sidewalk Responsibilities Still Apply

Regina property owners are required to keep adjoining City sidewalks clear of snow and ice within the applicable time limits.

Most properties have 48 hours following a snow event, while properties in the area identified in Schedule B of the City’s Clean Property Bylaw have 24 hours.

Difficulty clearing snow doesn’t make the accessibility problem disappear, which is one reason arranging assistance before it’s needed can be valuable.

For the full requirements, see our Regina Sidewalk Snow-Clearing Bylaw guide.

Plan Before Winter If Possible

The easiest time to arrange snow-removal assistance is usually before it becomes urgent.

Identify the areas that must remain accessible, determine who will be responsible for them, and have a backup plan when possible.

For someone who cannot safely shovel, the right solution may be a neighbour, family member, community program, paid service—or a combination of these.

The important thing is having a reliable plan before snow and ice make getting in or out of the property difficult.

For more information about Regina winter property maintenance, visit Regina Winter Resources.