The City of Kamloops says there has been full compliance with people clearing snow and ice off sidewalks so far this winter.

Bylaw services manager Tammy Blundell says the city has compiled data since Dec. 15, 2019, and says there have been 31 phone calls to the bylaw department about a lack of snow clearing on sidewalks in front of commercial or residential properties.

“We always make it a high priority because it’s a safety issue, if residential and commercial property owners aren’t clearing their snow. To date, everyone has complied who we’ve gone out and investigated, and no fines have been issued.”

Blundell says commercial property owners have to clear sidewalks by 10 a.m. except on Sundays. There’s no threshold for residential properties, but those owners are asked to clear sidewalks in a timely manner.

She says bylaw staff check commercial properties every day for snow clearing in the winter, except Sundays, and check residential properties based on complaints.

“And then if, ultimately, we don’t get compliance, we will actually hire a contractor to get that done. Because it is a high priority and it’s a safety issue. So we have to make sure that snow is cleared from the sidewalk.”

Private property owners would be billed by the city if a contractor has to be hired to clear snow and ice off their sidewalks.

The city has an page online with contact information for its bylaw department and answers to frequently-asked questions on snow clearing, which can be found here.