Mississauga's snowplows are doing more than pushing snow this winter. They are also collecting evidence.

In a notice on Friday, Jan. 23, the city said it has installed cameras on snow-clearing equipment and plows. When a citywide winter parking restriction is in effect, the cameras record the locations of vehicles parked on the street, and that information is shared with parking enforcement.

Enforcement officers also time their patrols to follow the snow-clearing routes, so they can respond to parked cars that could get in the way of plows, the city said.

The city has issued 2,409 parking infractions so far this winter, according to the notice.

Why the city is cracking down

This is the first winter for two new services that depend on clear streets. The city introduced citywide winter parking restrictions, backed by a $150 penalty, and began clearing about 134,000 residential driveway windrows, the ridge of snow a plow leaves at the end of a driveway. Each eligible driveway gets at least a three-metre opening.

Parked cars make that work harder. They block plows from clearing roads and windrows, which the city says makes it difficult for emergency vehicles, transit and residents to get around.

When a restriction is declared, on-street parking is banned except where signs allow it, such as on streets with a 15-hour maximum. Temporary and residential parking permits are suspended until the city lifts the restriction.

Digital tools for residents

The cameras sit alongside several online tools the city already uses for winter operations:

  • An online plow tracker at mississauga.ca/plowtracker that shows when a street was last serviced.

  • Email alerts when a citywide winter parking restriction is declared.

  • Snow-clearing updates on the @MississaugaSnow account on X.

  • An online portal, plus 311, for reporting parking violations.

The notice does not say how many vehicles carry cameras, what they cost or how long the location records are kept.

The reminder comes as forecasters warned of possible significant snow in the GTA on Sunday. Residents who rely on street parking can sign up for alerts or call 311, or 905-615-4311 from outside the city, to check whether a restriction is in effect.