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Japan’s Genius Snow-Clearing Method Melts Ice Before It Even Appears— Why the U.S. and Canada Still Haven’t Adopted It!

A quiet city in Japan has been using a surprising method to keep roads snow-free for decades. No salt, no plows—just a clever solution hiding in plain sight. North America isn’t using it, and the reason might surprise you.

Japan’s Ingenious Snow Removal Method. Credit: Jason L. Gatewood - copyright Shutterstock

In the city of Nagaoka, tucked into Japan’s snow-prone Niigata Prefecture, a decades-old snow removal technique continues to draw attention—not because it’s flashy, but because it works. While much of the Northern Hemisphere relies on heavy plows and endless truckloads of salt, Japan has quietly refined a far less disruptive method, one that is both low-tech and surprisingly efficient.

The system, known locally as shosetsu, uses warm water to melt snow directly on the streets. Small sprinklers embedded in the pavement or mounted along roadside barriers activate during snowfall, sending out steady streams that keep roads wet but ice-free. The goal is not to clear away snow after it’s fallen, but to prevent it from settling and freezing in the first place.

A Method Rooted in Hot Water and Geography

The first of these systems was installed in the 1960s in Nagaoka, a city that receives some of the heaviest snowfall in Japan. There, the snowfall can exceed 10 feet during peak winter months, making traditional methods costly and time-consuming. The sprinklers tap into local geothermal sources—namely, Japan’s widespread hot springs—which offer a reliable supply of naturally heated water.

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Diagram of the sewage heat snow-melting system. Credit: Public Relations office of Japan

This geothermal advantage is central to the system’s appeal. The warm water flows directly into the streets, reducing reliance on energy-intensive heating or chemical treatments. And unlike road salt, which corrodes infrastructure and pollutes waterways, the water leaves no lasting damage.

The system has since expanded across various parts of Japan, particularly in the northern regions and the mountainous interior. In towns with consistent snowfall, these sprinklers have become part of the winter landscape, quietly operating underfoot.

Credit: JapaneseNostalgicCar

Why It Hasn’t Crossed the Pacific

The United States and Canada, despite facing similar snow conditions in places like Minnesota and Ontario, have made little effort to adopt anything resembling Japan’s model. One of the biggest obstacles is geography. While Japan’s terrain is dotted with hot springs, the same cannot be said for much of North America. Access to naturally heated groundwater is rare outside of specific pockets, such as the western U.S. and parts of British Columbia.

Other countries have tried variations. China, for instance, has experimented with similar systems powered by heat pumps. But as noted in the original report, those setups are “expensive and difficult to maintain,” making them less practical for large-scale use. The economic and technical barriers remain high, particularly for municipalities already struggling with aging infrastructure.

Still, the Japanese example underscores a broader point: alternatives exist. For cities where snowfall is both frequent and disruptive, looking beyond plows and salt trucks could offer long-term savings—not to mention safer, cleaner streets. Whether North America takes note remains to be seen.

Road salt bad for Sudbury's lakes; province needs to act | Sudbury Star

With winter salt (commonly referred to as road salt and containing sodium chloride) levels rising to a “toxic” range in some of Greater Sudbury’s urban lakes, it is commendable that city council is urging cross-sectoral action on this multifaceted environmental, public health and economic issue.

Led by Coun. Deb McIntosh, on May 13, council unanimously passed a motion that urges the Province of Ontario to create and fund an expert stakeholder advisory committee to advise the province and municipalities on the best courses of action to protect freshwater ecosystems and drinking water from the impacts of winter road salt pollution and to develop liability legislation, enforce contractor training and establish standardized best management practices for the snow and ice management sector.

Greater Sudbury, justly called The City of Lakes, can take pride as an early champion in joining the District of Muskoka, Georgina, Waterloo, the Township of Malahide and North Perth as the sixth municipal government to pass this resolution.

Winter salt is visible in the winter months on roads, parking lots, sidewalks and driveways, but its real damage is done when it dissolves and then runs off into creeks, rivers and lakes, with the risk along the way of causing infrastructure corrosion.

Winter salt containing inorganic chloride salts is classified as “toxic” under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act. The Canadian Water Quality Guidelines for the Protection of Aquatic Life 2011 has set an upper limit for chloride to protect aquatic life.

However, of the 31 Sudbury lakes sampled by the Lake Water Quality Program in 2024, 10 are approaching the guideline limit, with one large urban lake having exceeded it. Too much chloride disrupts the freshwater ecosystem and contributes to the cascade of events that can lead to harmful algal blooms and sensitive species fish kills.

Sodium from winter salt entering the city’s drinking water supplies can be a concern to those on sodium-restricted diets. Public Health Sudbury and Districts reports 15 water supplies with sodium levels above 20 mg/L to inform those on sodium-restricted diets. A notable reported water supply is the Sudbury Drinking Water System, David Street, with a sodium level of 54.1 mg/L.

The infrastructure damage from winter salt spans from the personal cost related to stained shoes and carpets and rusting cars to an estimated economic (including road and infrastructure) and environmental cost of $700 to $4,000 per tonne applied.

The city applies approximately 10,000 to 30,000 tonnes of winter salt a year. To balance winter road safety and the environment, city continues to assess for means to reduce winter salt use by participating in Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Code of Practice for the Environmental Management of Road Salts, regularly updating its Salt Management Plan and in 2023 converting 73 lane kilometres of roads from salt to sand application.

So why would city council urge Ontario to take the actions stated in the resolution on winter road salt? A significant proportion of winter salt is applied to private and commercial parking lots outside of any regulatory framework. Snow and ice maintenance contractors, an essential and valued sector that keeps parking lots and private roads safe during winter, face slip and fall claims, higher insurance premiums or the inability to obtain insurance, leading some to either overuse winter salt or leave the business.

Landscape Ontario, an organization representing many private contractors, is also in discussions with Ontario to address these concerns.

And here is where citizens can amplify the message to the province about the need to act on salt pollution. The Ontario Salt Pollution Coalition is a group of private citizens and environmental organizations supporting the discussions and resolutions put forward by professional groups and municipalities on legislative reform and the creation of a regulatory framework to create safe conditions for all Ontarians while respecting the natural environment.

Remember, the harm done by visible winter salt is silently at work now in the City of Lakes. Interested groups and members of the public are invited to learn more at saltcoalition.ca,

Richard Witham, chair

Mandy Hey, director

Greater Sudbury Watershed Alliance

Barrie's topography can be challenging when managing road salt - Barrie News

The balance between safe surfaces and road salt management is being found in Barrie.

A recent presentation on the city’s salt management strategy, at infrastructure and community investment committee, showed less is more on a number of levels. 

“Over the past decade, the average salt application rate has steadily declined,” said Craig Morton, the city’s senior manager of roads and fleet operations.

In the 2023-24 winter season, for example, the city’s road operations department reduced salt use by 51 per cent compared to the previous five-year average.

This reduction equates to approximately 6,100 tonnes of salt saved, resulting in $400,000 in savings, based on the current salt pricing, Morton said.

“During the winter, this is always a hot topic in terms of the amount of salt that the city uses,” said Coun. Bryn Hamilton, committee chairwoman. 

The city has a long list of factors when it comes to using salt to keep surfaces safe.

Included are 1,670 lane kilometres of road, 688 kilometres of sidewalks, 452 kilometres of storm pipes and 28 kilometres of storm culverts.

Barrie’s terrain involves five weather zones, freeze-thaw conditions, a 2.9-metre annual average snow accumulation, an average of 80 winter events and Highway 400.

Katie Thompson, the city’s manager of environmental risk management and compliance, waste management and environmental sustainability, said Barrie’s geography is also a challenge.

“Highway 400 runs through our city,” she said. “Once salt is applied, it can move around in both our ground and surface water resources.

“The terrain or topography of our city can be thought of as a bowl,” Thompson said. “We have uplands and lowlands connected by creeks that drain water down toward Kempenfelt Bay.”

Barrie has 14 deep underground water supply wells and one surface water intake on Kempenfelt Bay for its drinking water.

Thompson said Environment and Climate Change Canada has released a report stating road salts are entering our environment and posing a risk to our plants, animals and water. Once it’s applied it continues to move through the environment. It’s very soluble and hard to remove.

Morton said there are three guiding documents — the winter operations plan, the salt management plan and the salt optimization strategy — that work together to optimize the use of road salt in Barrie.  

They identify key measures that are effective in reducing salt use, he said.

“Due to the impracticality of maintaining all roads simultaneously, a structured priority system ensures efficient resource (snow and salt truck) deployment,” Morton said. “We have different road classifications to help guide us for that.”

He said priority routes are arterial and collector roads with high traffic volumes, bus routes and hills that are maintained to bare pavement, using plowing and de-icing.

Secondary routes are high-traffic roads, including the remaining transit routes, school-adjacent streets and steep grades — maintained again to bare pavement.

Residential routes found in subdivisions are maintained to snow-pack condition, using plowing and a sand/salt mix for traction.

“Plowing is the most environmentally effective method for snow removal,” Morton said. “It minimizes the need for salt.”

City road weather information stations cover all five of Barrie’s distinct weather zones.

“This infrastructure allows staff to make timely, data-driven decisions, resulting in more efficient operations in optimum use of materials and staffing,” he said.

Street sweeping each spring also helps with road salt left from the previous winter.

The city continues to invest in optimizing the use of road salt to protect public safety, while minimizing the environmental impacts related to its storage, handling and application.

This approach to managing road salt use also explores new technology and practices in winter maintenance to reduce the amount of road salt entering the environment, while ensuring safety is not compromised.

Sudbury city council asks Ontario government for help cracking down on winter salt use | CBC News

Sudbury city council has voted unanimously to ask the province to take steps to help reduce the amount of salt spread on private properties every winter.

Coun. Deb McIntosh, who introduced the motion, said many businesses in the city use more salt than they need on their parking lots, driveways and walking paths.

"They're concerned, rightly so, of slips and falls and because they get sued and their insurance rates go up," she said.

"So they overcompensate."

In her motion, McIntosh proposed the province develop limited liability legislation so businesses are protected from lawsuits as long as they meet a minimum standard for salt usage.

She also suggested that the province introduce enforceable contractor training for managing snow and ice removal, along with standards for best practices to cut back on salt.

"There's no regulation on how much salt you can or cannot use on a private property," she said.

Ramsey Lake is the main source of Sudbury's drinking water. (Yvon Theriault/Radio-Canada)

McIntosh said that's a problem because winter salt dissolves over time and ends up in local waterways where it can be harmful to the environment and make its way into drinking water.

Ontario has an aesthetic objective for chloride in drinking water of 250 milligrams per litre. That means that chloride, or salt, concentrations in drinking water should not exceed 250 milligrams per litre to ensure "good taste and prevent corrosion in the distribution system."

Testing under the city's Lake Water Quality Program done in the spring of 2024 found that chloride levels in Ramsey Lake, the main source of Sudbury's drinking water, was under that threshold at 82.4 milligrams per litre.

Of the lakes the city tested, Lake Nepahwin had the highest levels at 166 milligrams per litre.

McIntosh said the city has taken its own precautions to cut back winter salt by only applying it to busier arterial roads, such as the Kingsway.

For residential streets, city contractors use sand with a small amount of salt added to prevent it from clumping. 

Richard Witham, chair of the Greater Sudbury Watershed Alliance, said he supports McIntosh's motion.

"I think it's a really positive step and it's something that the Ontario government needs to implement and it needs to be done at a provincial level because they're the only ones who can basically make this move forward," he said.

Witham said high chlorine levels in local lakes from winter salt is harmful to aquatic life, and especially zooplankton called daphnia that eat algae. That could increase the risk of blue-green algae blooms, which produce toxins that are harmful to people and animals.

Witham said it would be a "win-win" for the province to address winter salt use and introduce limited liability for businesses and contractors.

"It's a win for the environmental organizations and it's a win for Landscape Ontario, which represents the contractors who remove ice and snow because they are also pushing for this," he said.

CBC News contacted Ontario's Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks about winter salt use in the province and steps taken to protect freshwater, but did not receive a response by deadline. 

Transcript: Is Road Salt Destroying Ontario’s Waterways? | Apr 28, 2025 | TVO Today

Time-lapse footage shows snow melting and green shoots pushing through the wet ground. In a river, water gushes in rapids.

Jeyan Jeganathan narrates, AS THE SNOW MELTS AND THE EARTH WAKES UP, WINTER STARTS TO LET GO. SPRING IS HERE, FINALLY. RUNOFF FLOWS INTO RIVERS AND LAKES, BUT THESE WATERS THAT WE WELCOME CARRY SOMETHING WE CAN'T SEE. ROAD SALT.

[Footsteps crunching, vehicle engine rumbling, salt rattling]

Someone walks past a clump of undissolved road salt on a slushy sidewalk, a car drives on a snowy road, and someone wearing a bright safety vest drops salt on a bridge.

Jeyan narrates, CHEMICALLY KNOWN AS SODIUM CHLORIDE. IT WORKS BY LOWERING THE FREEZING POINT OF WATER, MAKING IT HARDER FOR ICE TO FORM. AND THIS PAST WINTER, A WINTER FULL OF STORMS, ICE WAS AN ISSUE FOR COMMUNITIES ACROSS ONTARIO.

[Engines rumbling]

Snow falls on a busy highway.

On a Cp24.com newscast, text reads, “Wintry weather. Winter storm warning. A blonde-haired newscaster wears a green sweater.

The blonde-haired newscaster says, WINTER STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT STRETCHING FROM WINDSOR TO MONTREAL.

On a GlobalNews.ca, newscaster Anthony Robart says, BRUTAL ICE STORM LEFT HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF ONTARIANS IN THE DARK.

On CBC.ca, text reads, “Gravenhurst still digging out after storm, as fresh snow blankets cottage country.”

A black-haired newscaster says, UP IN MUSKOKA COME THE SAME SYSTEM IS BRINGING EVEN MORE SNOW...

Vehicles drive on a four-lane highway past a creek and a snowy forest.

Jeyan narrates, AND IT'S IN MUSKOKA WHERE ENVIRONMENTALISTS ARE SOUNDING THE ALARM BELLS ON ROAD SALT.

A car drives beneath the town sign for Gravenhurst. A driver with short white hair wears a brown sweater.

The white-haired driver says, RIGHT NOW, WE ARE COMING DOWN TO MUSKOKA BAY, GRAVENHURST BAY, AND THERE'S A CREEK RUNNING INTO THE BAY HERE THAT I'VE BEEN SAMPLING FOR THE LAST TWO AND A HALF YEARS.

[Water gurgling, clunking, footsteps crunching]

Water bubbles in the creek. In a parking lot, the white-haired driver, Neil, takes a sampling pole with a cup at the end and small bottles out of the back of the car. A sign beside a boardwalk reads, “Caution! Boardwalk is slippery when wet or icy.”

Jeyan narrates, NEIL HUTCHINSON HAS DEDICATED HIS LIFE TO WATER QUALITY. AFTER WORKING AS AN AQUATIC SCIENTIST ACROSS CANADA, HE'S NOW RETIRED AND PART OF THE FRIENDS OF THE MUSKOKA WATERSHED, A GROUP FOCUSED ON IDENTIFYING AND ADDRESSING THREATS TO MUSKOKA'S WATERWAYS.

Text reads, “Neil Hutchinson. Friends of the Muskoka Watershed.”

Neil says, FIVE OR SIX YEARS AGO, WE BECAME QUITE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM OF ROAD SALT AND THE CHLORIDE ION, WHICH IS A TOXIC COMPONENT OF ROAD SALT, IN OUR RUNOFF OFF OUR ROADS INTO OUR VERY SOFT WATERS.

[Clicking, vehicle engines humming]

Photographs show salt-stained sidewalks and a trail of undissolved salt. Text reads, “Friends of the Muskoka Watershed.”

Jeyan narrates, MANY ONTARIANS ARE FAMILIAR WITH IMAGES LIKE THIS. THESE PHOTOS WERE CAPTURED BY THE FRIENDS OF THE MUSKOKA WATERSHED. THEY HIGHLIGHT THE EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF ROAD SALT USED OVER THE WINTER.

A man wearing eyeglasses walks on a sidewalk with a woman with curly white hair and a woman with short white hair. They look at a pile of dirty snow.

Neil says, THERE'S A MESS. THAT'S GOING TO END UP IN THE RIVER.

The short-haired woman says, I WONDER HOW MUCH SALT IS IN THAT.

Jeyan narrates, THE DOCUMENTATION IS PART OF A STUDY NEIL AND A TEAM OF CITIZEN SCIENTISTS HAVE BEEN CONDUCTING TO SEE HOW MUCH OF THIS ROAD SALT IS DRAINING INTO MUSKOKA'S WATERSHED.

[Creek gurgling, birds chirping]

Neil collects a water sample using the pole. The curly-haired woman, Joanne Smith, stands on the boardwalk. Text reads, “Citizen Scientist.”

Joanne says, WHAT WE DO IS COLLECT A SMALL AMOUNT OF WATER STARTING WHEN THE MELT STARTS. WHICH IS RIGHT NOW. WE GET ACCESS TO THE SNOW AND SALT WHICH IS COMING OFF OF THE SIDEWALKS, COMING OUT OF THE PARKING LOTS, COMING OFF OF THE ROADS.

By the creek, Neil says, ULTIMATELY, WE WANT TO KNOW THE CONCENTRATION OF CHLORIDE. CHLORIDE IS TOXIC. IT'S DECLARED TOXIC AS IS ROAD SALT, BUT WE MEASURE IT QUITE SIMPLY WITH A LITTLE PEN THAT YOU CAN STICK IN THE WATER AND IT IMMEDIATELY READS THE CONDUCTIVITY.

On the sidewalk, Joanne puts a conductivity meter into a water sample held by the short-haired woman.

Joanne says, SO HERE'S THE CONDUCTIVITY METER. THAT'S VERY, VERY HIGH. 730. IT'S STILL GOING UP. CONSIDERABLY HIGHER THAN WE HAVE IN THE LAKE.

By the creek, Neil says, CONDUCTIVITY IS THE ABILITY OF THE WATER TO CARRY AN ELECTRICAL CURRENT AND THE MORE IONS THAT ARE DISSOLVED IN THE WATER, THE HIGHER THE CONDUCTIVITY, THE BETTER ABLE IT IS TO CONDUCT ELECTRICITY. SUCH THAT DISTILLED WATER WOULD HAVE NO CONDUCTIVITY, WHEREAS SEAWATER HAS SOMETHING LIKE 50,000 UNITS OF CONDUCTIVITY.

[Water gurgling]

The short-haired woman, Sandy Cairns, holds the water sample. Text reads, “Citizen Scientist.”

Sandy says, THIS WHOLE AREA OF THE NEIGHBOURHOOD HAS 5 DIFFERENT DRAINAGE AREAS THAT COME DOWN. THEY ALL GO INTO GULL LAKE, SO THERE'S NO FILTRATION OR ANYTHING.

[Water gurgling]

Sandy stops and lowers a tube into a sewer grate. Water flows beneath a bridge.

Jeyan narrates, OVER THE COURSE OF TWO YEARS, CITIZEN SCIENTISTS LIKE SANDY CAIRNS AND JOANNE SMITH HAVE CONDUCTED OVER 600 MEASUREMENTS AT 27 SITES IN GRAVENHURST, BRACEBRIDGE AND HUNTSVILLE. THEY TESTED DRAINS AND CREEKS YEAR-ROUND THAT FLOW INTO LARGE BODIES OF WATER LIKE LAKE MUSKOKA, GULL LAKE AND JEVONS LAKE. ACCORDING TO THE DATA, THE WORST SALT CONCENTRATIONS CAME FROM FOUR STORM DRAINS IN BRACEBRIDGE. THE FINDINGS ONLY CONFIRMED WHAT NEIL AND HIS TEAM ALREADY KNEW. SALT IS SILENTLY SATURATING MUSKOKA'S WATERS. THE FRIENDS OF THE MUSKOKA WATERSHED ESTIMATE THAT LAKE MUSKOKA NOW HOLDS AROUND 30,000 TONS OF ROAD SALT. AND IT'S NOT JUST IN COTTAGE COUNTRY, MANY TORONTO AREA STREAMS ARE GETTING SALTIER.

[Engines humming, whirring, rattling]

A quote reads, “Many Toronto-area streams are getting saltier, and road salt is mostly to blame, conservation experts suggest.” “By Andre Neary and Farrah Merali, February twenty-fourth, 2025.” On a street, a truck spreads road salt.

Jeyan narrates, ACROSS ONTARIO ABOUT 2.2 MILLION TONS OF ROAD SALT ARE SPREAD ON PUBLIC ROADS EVERY YEAR.

Text reads, “Neil Hutchinson. Friends of the Muskoka Watershed.”

By the creek, Neil says, IN 2001, ENVIRONMENT CANADA DECLARED ROAD SALT TO BE A HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCE, AND THAT REQUIRED THE GOVERNMENT TO SET WATER QUALITY OBJECTIVES FOR IT AND TO START PAYING ATTENTION TO HOW IT'S MANAGED. GRAVENHURST BAY HAS INCREASED BY ABOUT 30- OR 35-FOLD IN CHLORIDE CONCENTRATIONS OVER THE LAST 50 YEARS. SO, THAT'S A DIRECT RESULT OF RUNOFF FROM OUR ACTIVITIES OF SPREADING ROAD SALT AROUND IN THE WATERSHED.

[Water gushing, quacking]

Rapids flow beneath a branch. In a lake, birds surface from beneath the water.

Jeyan narrates, THE CANADIAN COUNCIL OF MINISTERS OF THE ENVIRONMENT HAS SET GUIDELINES FOR HOW MUCH SALT FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS CAN HANDLE BEFORE IT STARTS HARMING AQUATIC LIFE. BUT THOSE GUIDELINES MIGHT NOT WORK EVERYWHERE.

Text reads, “Joanne Smith. Citizen Scientist.”

On the boardwalk, Joanne says, THE GUIDELINES, WHICH WERE ACTUALLY DETERMINED NEAR TORONTO BACK IN THE EARLY TWO THOUSANDS CAME IN AT A LEVEL OF 120 MILLIGRAMS PER LITRE.

[Water gushing]

Rapids form in a river.

Joanne continues, BUT WE ARE FAR MORE SENSITIVE UP HERE BECAUSE WE HAVE A DIFFERENT KIND OF BEDROCK, WHICH IS GRANITE. AND IT'S VERY DIFFERENT THAN THE BEDROCK, WHICH IS DOWN NEAR TORONTO, WHICH IS LIMESTONE. AND THE LIMESTONE BREAKS DOWN, SO IT'S KIND OF BUFFERING THE SOLUTION. WHEREAS UP HERE IN MUSKOKA, WE'VE GOT THE GRANITE WHICH IS RATHER INERT. SO, THE ZOOPLANKTON ARE THE ONES WHICH ARE VERY, VERY FRAGILE. AND WE'RE FINDING THAT THEY ARE DYING AT A MUCH FASTER PACE THAN THEY ARE DOWN IN THE G.T.A., WHERE WE'VE GOT THE HARD WATER.

[Footsteps crunching, door creaking, squeaking]

Zooplankton swim in a water sample. In Muskoka, someone walks up a path and opens a door.

Jeyan narrates, THE FRIENDS OF THE MUSKOKA WATERSHED HAVE GAINED A NEW TOOL IN THEIR EFFORTS TO COMBAT EXCESSIVE ROAD SALT USE.

A store employee says, HI, HOW ARE YOU DOING?

A woman wearing a toque, Alesha, says, HI, I'M ALESHA.

[Background chattering, thunking]

Alesha puts a clipboard on a counter and shakes hands with the employee.

Jeyan narrates, ALESHA BRECKENRIDGE IS THE PROJECT LEAD FOR THE SALTY MUSKOKA PROJECT.

[Background chattering, tapping]

In the store, Alesha says, WE ARE STARTING A NEW PROGRAM TO HELP EVERYBODY IN MUSKOKA REDUCE THEIR EXCESS ROAD SALT.

[Vehicle engine humming]

Beside a road, large piles of dirty snow are higher than a car window.

Jeyan narrates, THANKS TO A FEDERAL GRANT FROM THE CANADIAN WATER AGENCY, THEY NOW HAVE BOOTS ON THE GROUND. ITS ESTIMATED ABOUT 20 PERCENT OF ROAD SALT USE IN MUSKOKA IS APPLIED IN PARKING LOTS, DRIVEWAYS AND SIDEWALKS.

Text reads, “Alesha Breckenbridge. Friends of the Muskoka Watershed.”

On a sidewalk, Alesha says, I'LL BE ABLE TO WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY IN REDUCING SALT USE IN THOSE SITES. SO THAT MEANS TALKING TO PEOPLE THAT LIVE HERE, TALKING TO SMALL BUSINESSES, AND HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH WINTER MAINTENANCE CONTRACTORS AND ALSO WITH STORE OWNERS THAT CAN ACTUALLY BRING IN SOME ALTERNATIVES AND COLLECTIVELY JUST RAISE THE AWARENESS OF REDUCING SALT IN OUR COMMUNITY.

[Background chattering]

Someone leaves the store, and Alesha greets them on the path.

Jeyan narrates, ONE OF THE BIGGEST MESSAGES SHE'S TRYING TO SPREAD ABOUT ROAD SALT IS THAT A LITTLE GOES A LONG WAY.

Alesha holds a bright green cup.

Alesha says, THIS CUP HOLDS 12 OUNCES OF ROAD SALT, BUT I'M JUST USING SAND JUST TO DEMONSTRATE THAT THIS CUP WILL COVER THIS ENTIRE SPACE.

[Rustling]

Alesha shakes the sand over a sidewalk beside the store. Video footage shows vehicles driving in snowstorms.

Jeyan narrates, ROAD SALT IS A POPULAR CHOICE BECAUSE IT'S CHEAP AND IT WORKS. RESEARCH HAS SHOWN ITS USE CAN SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE WINTER-RELATED CAR CRASHES, BUT IT HAS ITS LIMITATIONS.

Alesha says, I THINK WE ASSUME THAT IT'S GOING TO WORK IN ALL TEMPERATURES, AND IT ACTUALLY DOESN'T. SO, ROAD SALT, THE EFFECTIVENESS STARTS TO WEAR OFF AFTER LIKE MINUS 10, MINUS 12. ROAD SALT DOESN'T WORK ON ICE ANYMORE. SO, YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT MAYBE USING SAND AS TRACTION INSTEAD.

On the boardwalk, someone holds a leash with a small, shaggy dog.

Jeyan narrates, IT CAN CAUSE SKIN IRRITATION FOR OUR FURRY FRIENDS AND IS HIGHLY CORROSIVE TO BUILDINGS.

Alesha says, I HEARD JUST THE OTHER DAY THAT SOMEBODY SAID, OUR SLIDING DOORS ARE SO RUSTY, AND IT'S CAUSING, AND THEY'RE PUTTING IT DOWN TO ROAD SALT, AND IT IS. IT'S ACTUALLY A CORROSIVE, AND SO IT'S DAMAGING A LOT OF INFRASTRUCTURE AROUND BUILDINGS.

The sign for the Algo Centre Mall in Elliott Lake features a Dollarama sign. Nearby, two storeys of the mall have collapsed.

Jeyan narrates, IN 2012, TWO PEOPLE DIED AND MANY MORE WERE INJURED WHEN THE ROOFTOP PARKING DECK OF THE ALGO CENTRE MALL IN ELLIOTT LAKE CAVED IN. CORROSION CAUSED BY YEARS OF WATER AND ROAD SALT WAS CONSIDERED ONE OF THE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.

A C.B.C. headline reads, “Corrosion by water, road salt key in Ontario mall collapse.” Another C.B.C. headline reads, “Rusted steel supports in Elliot Lake mall collapse looked like they had spent decades in seawater: forensic study.”

Jeyan continues, A FORENSIC STUDY FOUND THE RUSTED STEEL SUPPORTS LOOKED LIKE THEY HAD SPENT DECADES IN SEAWATER.

[Water gushing]

Neil kneels on the snowy shore of the creek and collects a water sample.

Jeyan continues, THE FRIENDS OF THE MUSKOKA WATERSHED DID GET A WIN EARLIER THIS YEAR. THE DISTRICT OF MUSKOKA PASSED A RESOLUTION TO SAFELY REDUCE ITS ROAD SALT USE AND PUSHED THE PROVINCE TO ESTABLISH A COMMITTEE TO ADVISE CITIES AND TOWNS ON HOW BEST TO PROTECT FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS FROM SALT. BUT CHANGING POLICY IS JUST ONE PART OF THE PUZZLE. LIABILITY IS ANOTHER MAJOR CHALLENGE.

[Rattling, engines humming]

In a parking lot, someone pushes a small salt spreader. Neil stands by the creek. Text reads, “Neil Hutchinson. Friends of the Muskoka Watershed.”

Neil says, IF I SLIP AND BREAK MY HIP, THEN I MIGHT SUE THE STORE OWNER, WHO WILL THEN HAVE TO SUE HIS MAINTENANCE PERSON BECAUSE I SLIPPED BECAUSE NOT ENOUGH SALT WAS APPLIED. WELL, THERE ARE VARIOUS, SEVERAL JURISDICTIONS, SOME IN THE UNITED STATES, THAT HAVE GOT A PROGRAM WHERE THESE APPLICATORS CERTIFY THEMSELVES AS SMART ABOUT SALT. SO, IF THEY CAN DEMONSTRATE THAT THEY'VE TAKEN THE COURSE AND HAVE NOT OVERAPPLIED THE SALT, THEN THEY ARE IMMUNE FROM PROSECUTION FOR LIABILITY.

[Engine humming]

A snowplow drives over a bridge.

Neil says, SO, WE'D LIKE TO WORK WITH OTHER GROUPS AND GET THE GOVERNMENT TO HAVE A LOOK AT THE LIABILITY CLAUSES AND HOW WE MIGHT MAKE SURE, IT'S DONE PROPERLY AND STILL INSULATE PEOPLE FROM CLAIMS.

[Gentle music plays, water gushing]

Water gushes beneath the bridge. In town, the man wearing eyeglasses helps Sandy up a steep snowbank. She carries the sampling pole.

Jeyan narrates, ACCORDING TO THE FRIENDS OF THE MUSKOKA WATERSHED, THE PATH TO REDUCING ROAD SALT USE AND PROTECTING THE FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEM SO VITAL TO MUSKOKA AND THE REST OF CANADA IS CLEAR. IT STARTS WITH STRONGER POLICIES, BETTER TRAINING AND RAISING AWARENESS.

[Background chattering]

In the store, Alesha gives the employee the bright green cup. Text reads, “Alesha Breckenbridge. Friends of the Muskoka Watershed.”

On the sidewalk, Alesha says, I OFTEN GET OVERWHELMED BY THE AMOUNT OF ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES THAT FACE US TODAY. BUT ROAD SALT IS ONE ISSUE THAT IS EASILY REMEDIED. AND WE CAN REDUCE OUR USE.

Text reads, “Neil Hutchinson. Friends of the Muskoka Watershed.”

By the creek, Neil says, WE CAN TAKE ACTION TO GET RID OF POLLUTANTS AND BE EFFECTIVE AND MAINTAIN THE BEAUTIFUL WORLD AROUND US. SO, TO ME, IT'S A MATTER OF THE LAND THAT WE LIVE IN, OUR OBLIGATION NOT TO HARM IT, TO TREAD LIGHTLY AND TO ENJOY IT FOR ALL THAT IT OFFERS.

[Water flowing]

Foam forms on the creek.

End credits. Producer: Jeyan Jeganathan.

Episode: Is Road Salt Destroying Ontario’s Waterways?

SLC road salt bid includes slight increase in price for 2025-26 despite tariffs - North Country Now

CANTON -- Rock salt ran low during a harsh winter, forcing county officials to cut off contractors from the waning supply when stocks ran dangerously low.

Though tariffs were expected to greatly impact future bids, Highway Superintendent Don Chambers said the low bid came in at a far better rate than expected.

Compass Materials, based in Canada, was the low bidder at $73.73 per ton. Chambers said the shipments will come through the Port of Ogdensburg and be trucked to county facilities as well as municipalities.

"This will make it much easier to utilize the commodity to ensure roadways are safe this winter," he said.

Compared to the low bid last year, entered by American Rock Salt, Chambers said the rate increased slightly from $67.56 per ton.

"It ebbs and flows from year to year," he said.

In 2023-24, the low bid was $74.66 per ton, while 2022-23 came in at $70.27 per ton and 2021-22 came in at $65.61 per ton.

Chambers said one benefit of working with Compass Materials is the steady supply chain, commenting that on at least eight occasions the county has worked with the firm "with no issues."

When asked by Legislator Glenn Webster if domestic companies had bid, Chambers confirmed a number had but in many cases the bids came in significantly higher.

American Rock Salt bid $89.91 per ton, while Cargill bid $76.59 per ton, Morton Salt bid $88.55 per ton and Appalachia Salt bid $105 per ton, Chambers said.

The price received from Compass was also confirmed to be the final price, including tariff costs.

"At this point the bid is the price they're supplying it at," Chambers confirmed.

He commented on legislation, passed last year at the state level, that largely limited the suppliers counties could purchase from, forcing the government entities to purchase New York or domestic salt.

Chambers said that had a negative impact on the county as rates were higher and municipalities were forced to truck the salt from the Buffalo region in some cases.

He previously said that greatly increased costs for the salt as stores ran low locally.

"American Rock Salt had a contract that complied with state bid requirements at the time, which favored New York or domestic salt producers," Chambers said.

Chambers also said he would likely bring forth a resolution in the near future to modify the Highway Department budget for $30,000 related to salt supplies that were transferred from the Highway Department to municipalities throughout the state.

"We're very fortunate to have great inter municipal cooperation," Chambers said.

'It will kill life': Cambridge councillor urging city to curb road salt use | CBC News

A Cambridge councillor is hoping to reduce the amount of road salt used by the city, saying overuse could contaminate groundwater and "kill life."

"I mean if you add enough salt to anything, it will kill life," Ward 7 Coun. Scott Hamilton said. 

He is speaking in front of city council on Tuesday to present a notice of motion that urges the city of Cambridge – and ultimately the province of Ontario – to tackle the problem of road salt.

This comes a week after Waterloo Mayor Dorothy McCabe presented a similar notice of motion during a regional council meeting. 

Hamilton said the "spirit of this motion is to ask the province," as they have the jurisdictional authority to do significant change. 

Hamilton says Cambridge uses 5,856 tons of salt per year. With salt registered as a "toxic substance" under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, he said there is inherent danger in its overuse. 

Several studies support Hamilton's claim.

Ottawa Riverkeeper, a non-profit based in Ottawa that advocates for sustainable use of the Ottawa River, found in a study they published in January that among water samples taken from streams across the National Capital Region, "the vast majority were toxic to wildlife due to road salt levels."

The five-year study, which started in the winter of 2019-2020, found that only 10 per cent of 500 water samples had safe levels of chloride. Chloride is a "key component" of road salt, the report explained. 

In a separate study, Taryn Smit, an ecologist volunteering with the Canadian Conservation Corps, explained that too much salt can make living organisms "become sick or die." 

"Think about if you have not had enough water and now you're starting to get headaches, feel sick and dehydrated." she explained. "The same kind of process will happen with anything that lives in the stream of the river because there's salt in the water."

Hamilton said this is why he hopes to see changes on the provincial level. 

"Whether you're in Galt, Preston, Hespeler, Blair, you're affected all the same by the quality of our drinking water," he said.

Last Tuesday, Waterloo Mayor Dorothy McCabe presented a notice of motion at regional council that also deals with salt pollution. 

Joe Salemi, the executive director of Landscape Ontario, was one of the delegates who spoke to council about the motion. 

Salemi urged the Ontario governmet to develop limited liability legislation, create and fund an expert stakeholder advisory committee, and send the resolution to all municipalities. 

At that meeting, North Dumfries Mayor Sue Foxton expressed concern about the limited liability legislation.

"When you waive the right to lay the liability on someone, you're giving up your rights," Foxton said. "You're also allowing people to be negligent." 

Hamilton said he hopes Cambridge will support his motion in May when he outlines similar steps to deal with the over salting problem in that city and the province as a whole.

Similar to McCabe's motion, Hamilton will bring up the development of a limited liability legislation, a public awareness campaign about best salt practices, the creation of an "expert stakeholder advisory committee" that would advise the province about the best courses of action, and a review of bylaws to support further reductions in salt use.

Hamilton says he hopes the public will see his motion in a positive light, explaining that his motion is meant to be "ultimately for our own benefit."

"If we have toxic drinking water, if levels of sodium chloride in our water are at unhealthy levels and it's at the point where it's killing off our ecosystems, our plants, in our lakes and our rivers, I think ultimately this [plan] is definitely a net positive," he explained.

"The majority of the public would understand that."

Hamilton is scheduled to present his notice of motion at Tuesday's city council meeting. The council will then deliberate on the motion on May 27, after which a decision will be made.

Council motion urges Ontario to tackle groundwater contamination from road salt - CambridgeToday.ca

'We can't salt away our problems:' says Cambridge councillor Scott Hamilton, whose motion pushes for an Ontario-wide change to liability legislation within the snow and ice removal industry and public awareness to reduce road salt use.

A reduction in road salt can have a tangible impact on the quality of groundwater, but a Cambridge city councillor said it’s going to require changes at the provincial level to make that a reality. 

Scott Hamilton is bringing forward a motion that will be introduced at Tuesday’s council meeting, with a decision expected later this month, calling on the province to take action on road salt pollution.

It asks for the province to develop legislation to avoid excessive slip-and-fall lawsuits, create an awareness campaign for the public on best practices around salt use, create a stakeholder committee to advise on the impact of salt pollution and for the City of Cambridge to review bylaws related to snow removal for further salt reduction. 

In a phone interview, Hamilton acknowledged the reality of needing to make sure cars can go where they need to during winter and people can’t be slipping on sidewalks. 

However, Hamilton noted road salt doesn't simply disappear after its use. 

“It stays in the environment, it just melts,” Hamilton said. “It goes into our soil, it goes into our aquifers and that ends up in our drinking water.”

In an email, a City of Cambridge spokesperson said, based on the past four years, the city uses an average of about 5,856 tonnes of road salt per year. 

Based on Region of Waterloo water quality reports, wells tested in Cambridge regularly surpass a 20 mg/L Health Canada chloride threshold for notifying public health and doctors.

A University of Waterloo study by the Water Institute found implementing best management practices around road salt use can improve groundwater quality.

Similar motions have been introduced in other municipalities, first in Muskoka and recently at a Region of Waterloo committee meeting. 

This call for change is being led partially by Landscape Ontario, a trades association with a snow and ice management sector, and being supported by the Ontario Salt Pollution Coalition. 

Claire Malcolmson, executive director of Rescue Lake Simcoe Coalition which is part of the OSPC, spoke during delegations at the recent regional committee meeting.

In a phone call she explained a lot of contractors in the snow and ice management sector protect themselves from liability by over-applying road salt. 

“Those guys are having a really hard time because the potential for them to be sued by slip and fall lawsuits is pretty high,” Malcolmson said. “They know that they’re using too much salt but they don’t see that they have any alternative.”

A solution proposed in the motion asks the province to develop limited liability legislation and a set of provincially-endorsed best practices for snow and ice management. 

Hamilton explained that means if you’re a contractor who goes through proper certification and adheres to standard practices including putting down an appropriate amount of salt, you won’t be liable if someone slips. 

Malcolmson said the province uses at least 2.2 million tonnes of salt per year and that is likely to grow due to population growth and urban sprawl expanding the road network. 

“We’re trying to make sure members of the public understand this is one of many costs of sprawl and unsubstantiated new highway builds — highways are chloride hotspots,” she said, noting in her area near Lake Simcoe, the Mascana River has seen increased chloride levels since Highway 404 was built. 

Hamilton noted that municipal pressure to build more housing leads to more roads being constructed. As such, he considers the public awareness component of the motion to be crucial.

He added the city does a good job of reducing the amount of salt used by forgoing some areas such as a parking lot for a soccer field which people aren’t accessing during the winter months.

“We have to remember that we are in Canada and we’re going to have some pretty intense winters, so not every roadway will be as accessible as we want it to be,” he said. “We can’t salt away our problems everywhere, every time. We have to be very careful and cautious as Canadians about how we carry ourselves in winter.”

The full council motion can be read here.

Waterloo spearheading motion on over using road salt

Spring is well underway around Ontario, allowing the Region of Waterloo the opportunity to look back at the winter season and find places where it can improve maintenance operations.

Waterloo Mayor Dorothy McCabe is hoping the region can become leaders in the fight against pollution caused by road salt, bringing forward a motion that would urge the province to hold polluters accountable.

According to Claire Malcolmson of the Ontario Salt Pollution Coalition, road salt pollution could lead to the loss of clean drinking water in some parts of the province.

“In Ontario, we are growing the road network enormously, or that’s what the current government would like to do. That is absolutely going to add more salt to the environment, so we have to get ahead of this or we will have huge, expensive problems to deal with down the road,” said Malcolmson at a committee meeting on Tuesday.

McCabe’s motion would urge the provincial government to create enforceable training and standards for contractors who currently oversalt roadways and walkways to avoid slips, falls, and subsequent lawsuits. Through her motion, she would also be pushing the province to create an advisory committee focused on protecting freshwater ecosystems and drinking water from the effects of salt pollution.

According to Malcolmson, Ontario is responsible for nearly half of the 5 million tonnes of road salt applied across Canada.

Also at the Sustainability, Infrastructure, and Development Committee meeting on Tuesday, Councillor Matt Rodrigues introduced a motion that would have staff review winter maintenance operations in preparation for another snowy winter next season.

The winter season that just passed was one of the snowiest Waterloo Region has experienced in the 21st century, with nearly 200 cm of snowfall by the end of February.

Through review, Rodrigues is hoping the region can identify where they can improve winter maintenance programs and policies ahead of the 2026 budgeting process.

Both motions will come before regional council.

Is Road Salt Destroying Ontario’s Waterways? | TVO Today

Every winter, Ontarians rely on road salt to keep streets safe — but where does all that salt go when the snow melts? Jeyan Jeganathan explores how excess salt is silently polluting lakes and rivers across the province and talks to the people working to protect our fragile freshwater ecosystems.