Salt is struggling, but our winter operations won’t

With salt in short supply across the province, the City of London is focusing on traction and safety  
 

It’s been a long winter, London. We know. You know. Your snow shovel definitely knows. And it’s still only January?!  
 

With more snow in the forecast this weekend, as well as the extreme cold weather, the City of London is temporarily adjusting winter road maintenance operations as London begins to feel the effects of a province-wide road salt shortage. 
 

While many Ontario municipalities experienced salt supply challenges as early as mid-December, London was able to maintain regular service levels longer than most due to proactive stockpiling we coordinated before winter. The early start to the winter weather and the frequent snowfall and cold temperatures have put pressure on our current salt supplies and future salt deliveries from our vendor.  
 

To responsibly manage our remaining salt inventory, recognizing it’s January with a lot of winter still to go, the City is making operational adjustments while continuing to meet provincial snow maintenance standards. 
 

“Salt supplies are under pressure across the province,” says Joel Gillard, Division Manager, Road Operations. “Our teams are adapting to ensure roads remain as safe as possible with the materials we have available.” 
 

Beginning this weekend, crews will be plowing major roads more frequently to reduce the need for salt. This includes clearing roads with schools, hospitals, and bus routes. We will get to residential streets as soon as we can, but we may need some extra time while we clear these busy roads.  
 

We will also be using more sand in combination with salt to reduce our salt use.  
 

Snow clearing on sidewalks and at bus stops is not affected by the salt supply. The City uses sand already on residential sidewalks.  
 

London is also expected to face extremely low temperatures over the next 10 days. At these temperatures, traditional road salt and liquid anti-icing products become significantly less effective. As a result, maintaining bare pavement conditions on major roads will not be achievable during this weather. Crews will instead prioritize plowing and sanding to improve traction. 
 

“When temperatures drop this low, salt simply doesn’t work the way people are used to,” says Gillard. “Our crews will continue plowing and sanding to provide safer conditions, but bare pavement won’t always be possible.” 
 

Safety reminders for drivers 

  • Road conditions will be more challenging, so please give yourself extra time and drive with patience.  
  • Leave extra space between your vehicle and the one ahead. Use caution, especially on bridges, overpasses, and intersections. 
  • Plowing and sanding will continue to improve traction, but roads may still be slippery. Slow down, make gentle turns, and avoid sudden braking. Be mindful of others.  
  • If you have to travel, please be patient, stay alert, and take extra caution on the road. These conditions require everyone to work together. 

For ongoing updates about snow clearing, please visit london.ca/snow 

Last modified:Friday, January 23, 2026