Expect snow and freezing temperatures next week: City shares tips to stay safe

December 16 2022 –

The Vancouver forecast is calling for several days of snow and freezing temperatures starting as early as this Sunday, December 18. We encourage residents to only take essential travel and to take safety precautions if they need to drive. For people experiencing homelessness, we will be opening additional indoor spaces.

Snow and ice treatment locations

We prioritize snow and ice treatment with a focus on:

Major roads and bus routes
Bridges and bridge sidewalks
Main streets adjacent to major hospitals
The four major pedestrian pathways - Arbutus Greenway, Central Valley Greenway, False Creek Seawall, and Coal Harbour Seawall
The 16 most-used bike routes

Residential side streets are not included as part of our treatment plans, with the exception of priority hills and access routes to hospitals and schools.

View our snow and ice treatment locations

How you can help keep our city safe

There are many things residents can do to help keep our city safe:

Remove snow before it hardens to ice. Vancouver property owners and tenants are responsible for clearing snow and ice from the full width of sidewalks that surround their property by 10am on the morning following a snowfall, as a key measure to promote safety and accessibility of routes. This bylaw is in effect seven days a week and failure to do so can result in fines.
On snow days, only take essential trips. This helps keep the roads clear for our crews who are out treating snow and ice on the roads. If you need to be on the roads, travel with caution and please give way to, or stay at a safe distance when following a plow, salt or brine truck.
Equip your vehicle with the right tires for the conditions.
Learn about preparing an emergency kit for your car and what to do if you get stuck.
If your car is parked on a major route, please move it to a side street to make room for plows.
Check Translink for transit updates and the Provincial DriveBC website to plan travel on highways and commuter bridges exiting Vancouver.

If you are unable to clear your walk and have no other alternatives, you are encouraged to sign up for the Snow Angel Program where volunteers are matched with people with mobility issues to help clear their sidewalks.

Support for people sleeping outside

To ensure that people sleeping outside can come into warm, safe spaces during Vancouver’s coldest months, along with our partners, we are once again activating a variety of spaces to encourage people to come in from the cold. Due to very cold weather and forecasted snow this week, we anticipate opening a number of warming centres, starting Sunday, December 18 given temperatures dropping further.

Warming Centres are open when the temperature feels like -5°C or below or actual temperature of -4°C as a life-saving measure for people sleeping outside. While they are not set up with beds or mats, hot drinks and snacks are available. The most up-to-date information can be found on our social media pages, and @ewrmetrovan .

Extreme Weather Response Shelters and Warming Centres are in addition to Temporary Winter Shelters, which are open every night between November and March.

Extreme Weather Response Shelters

Extreme Weather Response Shelters are currently open to provide additional spaces at the following locations:

Directions Youth Services Centre
1138 Burrard Street
10pm to 7am

Cascades Church
3833 Boundary Road
9:30pm to 9am

Bud Osborn EWR
27 West Hastings Street
7pm to 7am

The Salvation Army Belkin House
555 Homer Street
9pm to 7am

Langara YMCA
282 West 49th Avenue
9:30pm to 7am

Warming Centres

Warming Centres will be open starting Dec 18, at the following locations:

Powell Street Getaway (DTES) *continued operation*
450 East Hastings Street
9pm to 7:30am

Odd Fellows Hall (Fairview)
1433 West 8th Avenue
9:30pm to 8:30am

Marpole Neighbourhood House
8585 Hudson Street
10pm to 8:30am

Gathering Place
609 Helmcken Street
8:30pm to 7:30am

Mount Pleasant Community Centre
1 Kingsway (entrance off 8th Avenue)
10:30pm to 6:30am

Extreme Weather Response Shelters provide mats to sleep on and are open during extreme rain, wind, snow, or when the temperature feels like 0°C or below. Depending on the location, visitors to these warm spaces may bring pets, bikes, and carts with them.

We extend our appreciation to the community organizations who make their spaces available to activate as Warming Centres and Extreme Weather Response Shelters.