Muskoka groups plan to put road salt issue on federal table

The battle to tackle road salt issues with Muskoka area lakes has been heard at the municipal level, with actions moving toward the provincial table.

Jim Davis, who is a director with the Gull and Silver Lakes Residents’ Association as well as a member of the Friends of the Muskoka Watershed, said the two groups, with support from the Ontario Salt Pollution Coalition, are planning to petition Environment and Climate Change Canada — formerly known as Environment Canada — to adjust the Canadian Water Quality Guidelines for soft water lakes due to the impact of road salt seeping into area lakes.

“We will be asking them to recognize the current level for chloride at 120 mL/l is too high,” he said. “The guidelines are fine for hard water lakes, but they’re not appropriate for soft water lakes, and our lakes in Muskoka are soft water lakes.”

The aforementioned groups have been working together to combat the road salt issue across the province before turning their gaze to the federal landscape.

The Friends of the Muskoka Watershed estimated in 2022 there was an estimated 15,000 tonnes of road salt in Lake Muskoka.

The District of Muskoka projected roughly one-quarter of lakes sampled by officials now have chloride levels above the 10 mg/L mark.

The safe level of sodium chloride — road salt — for Muskoka-type lakes with their soft, nutrient-poor waters is 10 mg/L of sodium chloride.

Stats from the Gull/Silver lakes association’s 2022 study indicated Gull Lake had a level of 17.9 mg/L of chloride while Jevins Lake, just south of Gravenhurst off Highway 11, is the saltiest lake in Muskoka with 113 mg/L of chloride.

Dr. Neil Hutchinson of Friends of the Muskoka Watershed said the federal government declared in 2001 that road salt is considered a toxic substance.

Neil Hutchinson photo

The cause to take the matter to the federal level has one notable advocate in the form of Dr. Neil Hutchinson, a retired aquatic scientist, Bracebridge resident and director with the Muskoka Watershed Council and Friends of the Muskoka Watershed.

He said while the use of road salt is a provincial matter, he would support the groups’ ask of the federal government to adjust the Canadian Water Quality Guidelines for soft water lakes.

“I go one step further because at Friends of Muskoka Watershed, what we would like to do is do our own calculations and do our own review and develop a soft water chloride code line that would apply to our waters in Muskoka,” he added.

Hutchinson went on to say the federal government did in 2001 declare road salt to be a toxic substance.

“Environment Canada and Health Canada did that. And several years later they followed that up by setting the Canadian Water Quality Guideline, which is an estimate of the safe amount of road salt that aquatic life can tolerate,” he said.

The District of Muskoka became the first Ontario municipality to pass a resolution declaring the need for provincial action on salt pollution from road salt.

The resolution, which was approved at the council’s March 17 meeting, commits the district’s ongoing efforts toward the reduction of road salt as much as possible, while maintaining safety on roads and sidewalks.

The resolution also urged the Ontario government 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 impact of salt pollution.

The district also asked the province to work urgently with private contractors in the snow and ice management sector to establish enforceable training and a single set of provincially endorsed standard best management practices.

“It was important to council to support this really unique initiative that has brought together the landscaping industry, environmental groups, and resident associations here in Muskoka and elsewhere,” district chair Jeff Lehman said days following the march 17 meeting.

“ We know that lake health is affected by road salt, and we want to be part of the solution across the Province to this important issue. Muskoka’s own organizations are at the forefront of this already, because in Muskoka our natural environment is so essential to everything about our region.”

Davis said the groups will not be stopping at just petitioning the federal agency on the guidelines on road salt in the coming days.

“We will be delegating to the councils of Bracebridge, Muskoka Lakes, Lake of Bays, and Georgian Bay to ask them to pass the same or similar resolution as the district just passed,” he said, adding Gravenhurst council passed a somewhat similar resolution in July 2023.

The advocates will be working with the Ontario Salt Pollution Coalition to get many municipalities across Ontario to pass a similar resolution.

“We are continuing to work with Landscape Ontario to encourage the provincial government to adopt limited liability legislation for private contractors in the snow and ice management sectors, many of them are members of Landscape Ontario.”

Unique challenges impact bulk shipping of rock salt in 2025 | AJOT.COM

It takes more than a pinch of salt to keep the nation’s highways clear of ice, and tariffs will complicate the job.

Many commodities are sold and shipped in bulk quantities. One of the most common is rock salt, which is used for melting ice and snow on roads, sidewalks, parking lots, and other surfaces to ensure safe transportation for motorists or pedestrians. Rock salt is also a critical component of a wide range of industries.

The rock salt industry in the US today is facing an ongoing nationwide shortage of product and the impact of increased tariffs. The US currently imports 25% of the rock salt used domestically, making tariffs a concern. In addition to these unique situations, shipping bulk rock salt at any time presents challenges due to the commodity’s tendency to corrode, moisture sensitivity, and specialized handling and storing requirements.

Road salt (+80,000 tons), was shipped at record levels through Indiana’s ports during recent winter storms.

Rock Salt is Key to Much More Than Road De-Icing

Rock salt is a key ingredient in the production of a variety of chemicals, including sodium chloride (table salt) and hydrochloric acid. In the textile industry, rock salt is often used as a dye enhancer, ensuring that colors fully penetrate fabrics.

Not only is rock salt used to improve the flavor of foods, but it also plays a part in food processing, helping extend the shelf life of food products. Rock salt is used in water softener systems to temper the hardness of minerals, improving water quality for domestic and commercial use.

Animal nutrition depends on rock salt to provide essential minerals, particularly sodium, for livestock, which are crucial for their health and well-being. Rock salt is also used in drilling fluids and for storage of liquefied petroleum gases and is an ingredient in the detergent and metal processing industries.

A Nationwide Shortage of Rock Salt Impacts Availability, Prices

The US is facing a nationwide shortage of rock salt that began with winter weather and is still impacting some regions well into March. According to rock salt producers, the current nationwide shortage has been caused by “unprecedented winter demand” and supply chain issues.

The result has been rising prices and limited availability for businesses and municipalities, with some states declaring a state of emergency. Some municipalities explored alternative solutions, such as mixing salt with sand, while others have been restricting salt use to main roads and intersections.

The long period of cold weather events and heavy snowfall across the U.S. in multiple regions caused an unpredicted increase in the demand for rock salt, exceeding supplies from domestic and foreign sources. Some suppliers have limited sales to existing customers and those with existing contracts, posing a challenge to independent removal companies.

To provide some perspective regarding the magnitude of the problem, American Rock, a major producer of rock salt, reported that in 2024, the company shipped 1.8 million tons of salt for the entirety of the winter season; this winter through January 2025 alone the company has already shipped over 2.1 million tons of salt.

Companies like American Rock Salt are taking steps to meet the demand. In addition to increasing its production of rock salt by 25%, the company said it was opening reserve stockpiles, purchasing new underground equipment to mine additional salt, and constructing more access points to its underground converter and bin system to help transport more salt to processing equipment.

Tariffs Likely to Impact Rock Salt Pricing

While the current rock salt shortage is expected to come to an end as soon as winter weather becomes less prevalent across the U.S., a more long-term challenge exists for rock salt importers. The US imports salt from Mexico, Canada, Chile, the Bahamas, and Egypt. According to the U.S. import data, the nation imported salt worth $687.69 million and 15.54 million tons in 2023-24. There are more than 2700 active salt importers in the US buying salt from more than 2400 suppliers worldwide.

The proposed Trump administration tariffs of 25% for imports from Mexico and Canada could significantly increase the cost of salt. These increases come at a time when the industry is unable to absorb additional costs. According to salt producers, operating costs have been increasing for more than a year due to higher transportation and labor costs.

The US Geological Survey reports that the average cost of rock salt increased by 3.5 percent in 2024. Import costs from key suppliers like Canada and Chile were already rising due to logistical bottlenecks. Margins for salt producers are low in comparison to a potential 25% tariff. Many salt producers have said they would pass the additional tariff costs on to clients, ultimately impacting consumers.

Special Handling Requirements

The bulk rock salt supply chain is impacted by the product’s corrosive nature and moisture vulnerability, logistical challenges and seasonality, handling and safety issues, and environmental concerns.

Salt is corrosive and can cause wear and tear on equipment, including containers, storage facilities, and vehicles, leading to increased maintenance and shorter equipment lifespans. Salt needs to be shipped in containers that are clean and dry, and containers must be free of other commodities that could release moisture.

These factors can all result in higher operating costs for transportation providers that handle bulk salt shipments. The ability of the providers to pass these increases to their salt-producing customers is affected by the rate environment at the time and the relationships between salt producers and transportation providers.

Rock salt is most needed during winter storms. Carriers must travel on the roads that rock salt is meant to improve to deliver orders of the product. In general, handling salt can generate dust, potentially posing health risks and environmental concerns, creating a need for controlled application methods.

When salt arrives in bulk, it tends to have compacted into crystalline lumps, which makes the unloading process more demanding on equipment. For safety, it is important for anyone whose job requires handling salt to wear appropriate protective gear, including gloves, goggles, and a dust mask to prevent inhalation of salt dust. Bulk salt can impact the environment. When it is stored outside, runoff must be properly controlled to prevent contaminating streams, wells, or groundwater with salt runoff.

Outsource Options

For salt producers that do not have the resources to navigate the intricacies of transporting salt or other commodities, there are options to outsource. One example is Bulk Connection, a licensed, bonded and insured freight broker providing on-demand freight capacity for liquid and dry bulk shipments. The company began in 1987 as bulk shipping specialists and states that it still maintains the largest network of bulk carriers in North America.

SDG Counties commit to updated Salt Management Plan - The Review Newspaper

At the Monday, March 17 meeting, Stormont, Dundas, and Glengarry (SDG) Counties council adopted updates to its Salt Management Plan (SMP) for roads. The SMP functions as a roadmap and report card, documenting the progress that municipalities have made in becoming more environmentally responsible through sustainable investments and long-term conservation efforts with respect to the use of road salt.

A report to council explained that road salt is a product required to keep roads safe during winter weather operations. In total, SDG is responsible for conducting winter maintenance on 981 kilometres of roadway and 191 bridges.

As part of its environmental goals, SDG Counties works to minimize salt use while balancing community and road safety needs.

SDG is already using many of the current technologies available, keeping it at the forefront of best environmental practices. The SMP aligns with SDG’s Green Living strategic priorities.

Historically, SDG has purchased and utilized approximately 25,805 tonnes of salt annually between 2005 and 2022, with significant fluctuations in recent years.

Submitted photo of the historic road salt use in SDG Counties.

To continuously improve the SMP, SDG will conduct period reviews of industry practices, implement detailed documentation, provide annual staff training, and update policies and procedures as needed.

With council’s unanimous approval, the updated SMP sets the stage for continued innovation in balancing winter road safety and environmental responsibility within the region. Council will receive a full update once the finalized revisions are implemented.

NYC will eventually have to abandon part of its water supply if it keeps getting saltier

The suburban reservoirs that supply 10% of New York City’s vaunted drinking water are getting saltier due to decades of road salt being spread near the system — and they will eventually have to be abandoned if nothing is done to reverse the trend, city officials warn.

The plug wouldn’t have to be pulled until early next century, according to a new study. But the soaring saltiness could eventually affect the famous taste of the Big Apple’s water, which is sometimes called the champagne of tap water, and poses a challenge to managers of a system that serves more than 9 million people.

“The conclusion of this study is that if we don’t change our ways, in 2100 the Croton Water System becomes a nice recreational facility, but it ceases to be a water supply,” Rohit Aggarwala, the city’s environmental protection commissioner, said in an interview with The Associated Press. “And that will directly impact everybody who drinks New York City water.”

The Croton system dates back to 1842 — when the first Croton Aqueduct began delivering water to a reservoir in what is now Manhattan’s Central Park — and is now comprised of 12 reservoirs and three controlled lakes north of the city.

The report found the concentration of chlorides — an indicator of salinization — tripled from 1987 to 2019 in the system’s main reservoir, which is about 20 miles (32 kilometers) north of the city line. Concentrations are on track to exceed the state’s maximum contaminant level for chloride by 2108.

The report found salinity increases across the sprawling system of city reservoirs in upstate New York. However, the problem is far less of an issue in the Delaware and Catskill watersheds west of the Hudson River, which supply about 90% of the city’s water. That’s likely because there’s far less development in those watersheds.

Road salt is considered a main driver of the increase, along with sewage treatment plant discharges and water softeners. Millions of tons of rock salt is spread on U.S. roads each winter as a cheap and effective way to reduce accidents.

“It’s really a problem across the country in areas with a lot of snow,” said Shannon Roback, science director for the environmental group Riverkeeper. “We’ve seen rising levels of salt in water in the Northeast, in the Midwest and in most places that use road salt.”

Roback noted that high salt levels in drinking water pose a host of environmental concerns and can be harmful to people on low-sodium diets.

Aggarwala said the city has a few options.

Salt can be removed from water supplies through reverse osmosis systems, though the technology is expensive and requires a lot of energy. The city also could mix Croton water with less salty water from its other two watersheds. But the commissioner said that would not be a solution for the more than a dozen municipalities north of New York City that draw water from the Croton system.

City officials believe reducing the use of road salt locally is the most sensible option. That could involve persuading state and local road crews to use alternatives to salt, or sensors on plows to gauge road surface temperatures, or shutting off the applicators when plows make U-turns or K turns.

State Sen. Pete Harckham, who represents the area, called the new report alarming, but not surprising given a number of community wells taken offline due to high chloride levels. The Democrat is sponsoring bills that would address the road salt issue, including one that would study the issue in the Croton watershed.

“State agencies, local governments, everyone needs to come together on this,” he said, “because this is a real challenge.”

Muskoka first in Ontario to call for provincial action on road salt pollution

As the dust settles from the provincial election, Muskoka is wasting no time when it comes to tackling road salt impacts.

On Monday, Muskoka became the first Ontario jurisdiction to pass a resolution declaring the need for provincial action on salt pollution from road salt.

The District of Muskoka council passed a resolution which asks the province to both advance limited liability for the snow and ice management sector and to create a stakeholder advisory committee to advise the province on managing salt pollution in Ontario’s lakes and rivers.

The resolution was initiated and moved by Muskoka District chair Jeff Lehman, Barrie's former mayor, who issued the following statement: “The district is pleased to work with local cottage associations, the landscaping industry, and environmental groups to help mitigate the impacts of salt and ensure the right amount is used in the right way in the right places. Building on previous district work and commitments, we look forward to continuing to improve lake health and provide leadership in reducing the environmental impact of road salt in Muskoka.”

Groups across Ontario are coming together with clarity to make sure the impacts of winter road salt are on the provincial agenda of Ontario’s newly re-elected government.

Ontario is Canada’s No. 1 user of winter salt, applying approximately two million to three million tonnes of salt each winter. Road salt is a known toxic substance designated under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act because of tangible threats including serious, irreversible environmental and public health damages. Other impacts to drinking water sources, critical public infrastructure (roads, bridges, buildings), and private property are also important concerns.

Currently, there are no provincial policies or regulations for road salts, including no salt use standards, required training, enforcement mechanisms, or protections against salt pollution.

This policy void has created liability issues for snow and ice management contractors and has left municipalities out in the cold to deal with salt pollution issues locally. People across Ontario are coming together to work together toward provincial action on salt pollution which protects water-based ecosystems and drinking water sources.

Joe Salemi, executive director of Landscape Ontario, says, “Landscape Ontario has been urging the provincial government to make legislative changes to alleviate the disproportionate liabilities currently shouldered by Ontario’s snow and ice contractors. We are also developing training and accreditation programs to establish a standard of professionalism for everyone working in this critical sector. Once a legislated mechanism is in place that more equitably addresses liabilities, snow and ice management professionals will be free from fear of litigation and therefore will be able to use the right amount of road salt with appropriate application rates. To the benefit of the environment, this legislative change is estimated to reduce the amount of road salt used every winter by nearly 30 per cent.”

Municipalities, conservation authorities, non-governmental organizations, and businesses alike have been warning about the growing impact of salt pollution and oversalting for decades, to no avail. Now, they’re banding together to ensure this issue gets the attention and action it needs.

The Ontario Salt Pollution Coalition is leading this initiative to pass resolutions of support for provincial action on salt pollution to get the provincial government to take this issue and need action seriously. They say Ontario will soon see many more jurisdictions passing these resolutions.

Dani Lindamood, campaigns director at Water Watchers and lead organizer of the Ontario Salt Pollution Coalition, shared, “Municipal leaders see this issue as a no-brainer to support because they’ve been dealing with the impacts for decades. We have strong support in critical jurisdictions like Waterloo and Hamilton, where the resolution is making its way through the municipal review process and will soon be before councils for support. We have meetings in Toronto and many other cities with committees and conservation authorities who are keen to learn how they can support our work. We are optimistic other municipalities, conservation authority boards, and businesses will join us in ensuring this issue is taken on by the province by passing their own resolutions.”

“I’m headed to the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority at the end of March, and am already in discussions with Barrie and Georgina, on Lake Simcoe,” says Claire Malcolmson, executive director of the Rescue Lake Simcoe Coalition. “Lake Simcoe is the poster child for what you don’t want to happen: The entire lake is projected to be at the chronic salt pollution level within a generation, in 33 years. Councils with waterfront should be shouting from the rooftops for provincial action on this issue.”

A draft resolution can be seen here. The Ontario Salt Pollution Coalition invites anyone invested in mitigating the impacts of salt pollution to consider passing this resolution of support for provincial action on winter salt pollution. Other cities considering resolutions include Waterloo, Hamilton, and Durham with high hopes for Toronto, Ottawa, and Sudbury to follow soon.

Salt pollution needs a provincial-level solution to make meaningful, long-term strides to reduce water, land, and human health impacts. Individuals can help elevate this issue by going to www.saltcoalition.ca and submitting a comment to Ontario officials that we need urgent action on this issue. Businesses can support the campaign goals, too, by signing a letter to the province here.

Committee directs City of Ottawa staff to review road salt use

The City of Ottawa is being asked to review its salt use on roads and sidewalks during the winter months.

The Environment and Climate Change Committee approved a motion from Coun. Rawlson King directing staff to conduct a “focused review of Ottawa’s road salt use,” with an emphasis on its environmental impact and its effect on local waterways.

“I want to be clear here, this motion is not about eliminating the use of road salt,” King said during Tuesday’s meeting. “As a winter city, it’s firstly about fact finding so as a city we can ensure the right balance between maintaining public safety and protecting our environment.”

City of Ottawa crews prepare for a winter storm on Thursday. Approximately 500 pieces of equipment are available to be deployed, including salt trucks, sidewalk plows and loaders. (Peter Szperling/CTV News Ottawa)

Some residents complained through the winter about too much road salt on sidewalks and at OC Transpo stops. Ecology Ottawa called for a review of salt-use practices, showing photos of excessive salt through the winter during Tuesday’s city committee meeting.

“We could accomplish a lot simply by following basic standards,” William van Geest, executive director of Ecology Ottawa, told councillors.

Van Geest points out the Ottawa Riverkeeper found the City of Gatineau is using two-thirds less salt than Ottawa through the winter.

King’s motion directs the Public Works department to report back to the committee on the measures to ensure “salt application aligns with environmental and climate change considerations” while maintaining safety during the snow and ice storms in the winter.

King’s motion also recommends the city report back on any assessments conducted on the environmental impact of salt use levels and the methods used to monitor the impact of road salt on waterways. Staff are also being asked to report back on the feasibility of incorporating road salt management into the Ottawa River Action Plan.

Salt on a landing on the stairs at the Hurdman LRT station. Jan. 24, 2025. (Ted Raymond/CTV News Ottawa)

Coun. Tim Tierney says OC Transpo and private companies need to go on a salt diet.

“I’m looking forward to a salt management practice; what we do on our city streets, our city roads,” Tierney said, noting Ottawa does use salt and grit on the roads. “We actually do have pretty strict practices for what we do in our wheelhouse, the Public Works wheelhouse, but I think our friends at OC have to clean up and, certainly, private properties.”

The Ottawa Riverkeeper is urging the City of Ottawa and other municipalities to identify areas to restrict the use of road salt, after a study found high levels of chloride in water samples that are harming aquatic wildlife and the environment across the national capital region.

Chloride is a key component of road salt.

According to a report released in January by the Ottawa Riverkeeper, between the winters of 2019-2020 and 2023-24, community scientists collected more than 500 water samples at 45 different locations across Ottawa and Gatineau. The report says only 10 per cent of samples were below the safe level for chloride, while 45 per cent exceeded the threshold for “acute toxicity.”

The report recommends municipalities identify areas to restrict the application of road salt and develop and regularly update its Road Salt Management Plan.

Increased road salt usage is affecting our lakes. But this cottager group has a solution - Cottage Life

While plenty of cottagers aren’t at the lake when the winter roads are salted, the effects last into many a swim season.

Road salt impacts the lakes and the creatures who make their homes there, as well as the trees along roads. Now, Friends of the Muskoka Watershed (FOTMW) are using citizen science to get to the bottom of the salty situation—which is significantly affecting their lakes in particular.

Chloride in road salt is the most harmful component, says Dr. Neil Hutchinson, a volunteer director with FOTMW. The aquatic life in the Muskoka watershed is especially susceptible to the impacts of chloride because the lakes contain low amounts of calcium, which acts as a protectant. “So low calcium makes aquatic life more sensitive to road salt,” Hutchinson says.

Although the amount of chloride in Muskoka lakes is technically considered safe, it’s trending in a direction that makes Hutchinson nervous. “We’ve seen major shifts in the community of zooplankton over the past 60 years as road salt concentrations have increased,” he says.

Ontario is facing a road salt shortage amidst a snow-heavy winter

FOTMW is inviting locals to participate in monitoring the lakes. Next winter, cottaging citizen scientists can be equipped with small devices about the size of a pocket pen to measure the conductivity of water, which is a surrogate for chloride. “We can therefore obtain data on the relative importance of different sources of road salt runoff and timing of runoff events across Muskoka, and identify hot spots of high input,” says Hutchinson.

7 tips for using less road salt

In the meantime, the good news is that alternatives to road salt already exist. Better options include sand, pickled sand (a mix of sand and salt), or salt brine, which is more likely to stay in place rather than run off into lakes and rivers. More good news: Hutchinson reports that his municipality takes the harms of road salt seriously and has reduced its use there by 40 per cent over the past four years.

Lacking Options: WNY Lawmaker Seeks Use Of Canadian Road Salt | News, Sports, Jobs - Post Journal

Legislation introduced recently in the state Assembly would allow local governments to purchase road salt from Canada.

Assemblyman Patrick Chludzinski, R-Cheektowaga, has introduced A.5890 to amend state law to allow for the purchase of rock salt or sodium chloride that is mined or harvested north of the border after a shortage of rock salt this year has left many towns and villages across the state running short of rock salt with a month to go before spring.

Chludzinski said the New York State Buy American Salt Act, as currently structured, has helped cause the salt shortage by forcing most Western New York municipalities to contract with American Rock Salt, which is located in Livingston County. The bill was signed into law in December 2022 by Gov. Kathy Hochul. The company said in early February that it was struggling to meet the demand created by this year’s cold weather and persistent snowfall.

“We also have taken additional measures to increase supply, including opening our reserve stockpiles; the purchase of new underground equipment to mine additional salt; and construction of more access points to our underground conveyor and bin system to help transport more salt to our processing equipment,” the company said in a news release on Feb. 3. “With these efforts we have successfully increased daily production by over 25%, while maintaining a safe working environment.For further context, in 2024 American Rock Salt shipped 1.8 million tons of salt for the entirety of the winter season; this winter through January 2025 alone we have already shipped over 2.1 million tons of salt. In total, we have mined and shipped more salt so far this winter than all of last year.”

Chautauqua County and the city of Jamestown have said they will begin mixing salt with sand to make sure they have enough salt to finish the winter while the village of Lakewood received a shipment of salt recently that should last the village for the winter. But not all municipalities have been so lucky. Chludzinski said some communities are restricting use of salt to main roads and intersections with stop signs and traffic lights.

“The lack of contract options, therefore, has become a public safety issue,” he said. “Prior to the current law, municipalities in Western New York could purchase salt from an American owned company called Compass Minerals but can no longer because the mine they harvest from is in Ontario, Canada. The intent of the original legislation was to stop importing salt from faraway places such as Egypt, because they were selling salt so cheap to

undercut our own companies’ ability to secure contracts, and their labor practices were not to our standards. This was a laudable goal, and we want to protect the interests of American workers while ensuring our roads are safe and drivable. That is why the scope of this bill is limited only to include Canada which is our neighbor and closest ally.”

The Current Road Salt Shortage Is a Harbinger of Tougher Challenges Ahead – The Colgate Maroon-News

Colgate University students were granted the first “snow day” in years on Monday, Feb. 17 . It was a welcome respite in the middle of February, a month without scheduled breaks from classes or seasonal depression. However, the Weather Decision Group’s campus-wide email may be a harbinger of less welcome developments down the road. 

While plowing efforts can clear most snow on campus rather effectively, it is rock salt, the kind you often see piled up in big sheds off the highway, that is most vital to combating winter-weather-related dangers. If you have been complaining about the lack of that salt on the sheets of ice that continue to underlay most campus paths, you are part of what appears to be the majority. Various (especially less serviced) parts of campus have been virtual skating rinks for months, not least outside my door at Parker Apartments. Has Colgate forgotten us? Not exactly. It could be, rather, due to the major road salt shortage occurring in New York state. 

On Feb. 14, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a disaster emergency due to the shortage combined with the incoming winter storm.

“I mean, this is the worst weather we’ve had in a long time, in terms of sustained cold that requires constant salt on the roads,” Hochul said during a press conference. 

The weather she describes has put serious strain on both institutional users of rock salt like the state or Colgate, as well as consumers, many of whom have been unable to find it at local hardware stores. Sure enough, I called the Tractor Supply located near Price Chopper, and they gave a resounding “no” when I asked if they had rock salt in stock. 

Why don’t we increase supply? It’s logical to think that transporting rock salt all the way to landlocked upstate New York might be the problem, but in fact, New York is home to the largest operating salt mine in the United States. Cleveland, another city hit by salt shortages, even has a mine located directly within the urban downtown.

The real answer illuminates a fundamental problem at work here. For the most part, state governments and other institutional users of rock salt order the amount they need in advance of the season, usually estimating the tonnage and then ordering a bit more as a cushion. This type of purchase comes pretty cheap, sometimes around $50 per ton. However, if more salt is needed throughout the winter, they have to reorder and pay a larger price, around twice the original. Therefore, estimating the severity of a coming winter is imperative to supply the right amount of salt, and that is becoming harder and harder as climate change continues to wreak havoc on the predictability of our weather systems. 

At Colgate, this is sure to manifest in increasing difficulty managing our harsh weather patterns. We are consistently affected by lake effect snow, a phenomenon originating from the variance between the warmer Great Lakes and colder Canadian air passing over them. As we experience record-setting warm summers, those lakes will stay warmer during the winter and cause greater amounts of precipitation in a more unpredictable pattern. That is to say, occurrences such as Monday’s cancellation may become more frequent. 

The University administration will need to make appropriate adjustments, focusing more on managing varying conditions. While many of us lament the mundane and seemingly endless Hamilton winters, inconsistent bouts of extreme weather pose a greater threat to the normality of campus life. Resources needed to conduct that management will be expensive. For example, overestimating salt needs could end with a mild winter — like the ones we saw in the past two years — and, therefore, wasted money. Also, rock salt treatments produce environmentally harmful effects on water quality and wildlife. If Colgate wants to avoid these risks on campus, it could switch to alternatives such as calcium chloride. This chemical, while being more expensive than normal salt, is also even more corrosive to metals such as aluminum found on cars.  

Existing issues on campus will need to be even more urgently addressed as a lack of salt and bad weather combine in the coming decades. Although winters may become shorter and shorter, the intensity of seasonal weather is predicted to increase as climate change induces more frequent polar vortex and lake effect snow events. At Colgate, the split between up and down the hill becomes deeper as uphill paths are left unsalted or rendered inaccessible, and driving becomes more precarious. In another case, the infamously expensive and small housing supply for faculty and staff presents a pressing transportation issue. What happens when current measures become inadequate to maintain the safety of roads between Hamilton and Cazenovia, for example?

Overall, Colgate will have no choice but to focus more heavily on assuring the smooth running of campus during extreme weather conditions as climate change squeezes vital resources, like rock salt. That said, maybe we students will get to enjoy a snow day more than once every couple of years as well.

Many Toronto-area streams are getting saltier and road salt is mostly to blame, conservation experts suggest | CBC News

Crunching under toe, tire and tread, road salt is used to melt ice and snow for safer surfaces, but recent data shows some Toronto creeks and streams are becoming much saltier, posing risks to aquatic life — and salting may be the culprit.

The 2024 data, shared with CBC Toronto by the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, shows chloride concentrations in many waterways have been increasing since at least 2015, with Etobicoke Creek and the Don River being among the saltiest.

"We look kind of longer term, and what we're seeing is that of the 47 stations across our jurisdiction, 36 of them are showing increasing trends in chloride over time," said Lyndsay Cartwright, a research scientist with the TRCA. 

"And that's a big concern."

Lyndsay Cartwright is a research scientist with the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority. (Andrew Neary/CBC)

Too much salt can be toxic for fresh water life, and many Greater Toronto Area waterways are over the safe limit, according to the data.

Some samples saltier than ocean water, says expert

The Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME) has guidelines for how salty freshwater can be before it becomes a problem for living organisms. It all comes down to the chloride part of salt. At 120 mg/L of chloride, long-term exposure can cause issues. Past that, things become dire.

"When you hit 640 mg/L, species die," said Claire Oswald, Associate Professor of Geography and Environmental Studies at Toronto Metropolitan University. 

"Different aquatic species are going to have different tolerances to chloride, but a lot of the more sensitive ones will die," she said.

Claire Owald, associate professor of geography and environmental studies at Toronto Metropolitan University, said some salt used for winter maintenance gets stuck in soil and in underground water sources, moving slower through the ecosystem. This makes salt concentrations a year-round issue. (Tina Mackenzie/CBC)

Oswald says most of the salt used for winter maintenance works its way through waterways and ends up flushed into the ocean. But, she says, some salt gets stuck in soil and in underground water sources, moving slower through the ecosystem, making salt concentrations a year-round issue.

And that ground water can be well above the safe limits. 

Oswald says her team measured water running off one Mississauga parking lot that had been salted.

"That was over 50,000 mg/L before it went into the sewers and got spit out into the stream," she said.

"It's saltier than ocean water," she added, which has a concentration of around 19,250 mg/L of chloride, according to the CCME guidelines for chloride for the protection of aquatic life.

In Toronto, Oswald says her team recently tested soil water next to a road, measuring over 48,000 mg/L of chloride, which she calls "even more shocking" because of how long it will take to work itself through the system.

Overall the numbers are trending up, according to the TRCA. Parts of the Don River hit 7,560 mg/L, Etobicoke Creek peaked at 10,100 mg/L this past year, with waterways, on average, at their highest chloride concentrations in five years according to the TRCA data.

City says it uses special equipment to measure salt use

Oswald says her team has been working to find a fix, and it's to put down less salt.

"Really we need to put down less so we have to change public expectations," she said.

The City of Toronto has a salt management plan to reduce the amount it uses, writing on its website: "The City is aware of the risks of road salt to the environment." 

Vincent Sferrazza, Director of Operations and Maintenance at the city, says crews have specialized equipment to measure how much salt they are throwing, calibrated and checked weekly. He said the city's plan was "reviewed by academics" and "found to be very effective."

"In some cases it may be a situation of maybe not the city, but other salt appliers, such as the private sector — such as landscapers or other companies," Sferrazza said. "I can't speak on their behalf. I can only say that we at the City of Toronto are very diligent with respect to salt management application."

Contractors, businesses worry about lawsuits

Jon Agg, Owner of Pristine Property Maintenance Limited, says his company has hundreds of maintenance contracts across Ontario and the GTA.

He says his company tries to use less salt because they care about the environment. It also saves them money. A set cost for salt is often included in the contracts, so throwing down extra comes out of his pocket. 

His workers are trained in a program called Smart About Salt, started by the University of Waterloo, which he says taught them about the impacts oversalting has on things like waterways and infrastructure.

Jon Agg, owner of Pristine Property Maintenance Limited, says his company has hundreds of maintenance contracts across Ontario and the GTA. They are lobbying the government to protect winter maintenance workers from slip and fall liabilities so that they can use less salt. (Tina Mackenzie/CBC)

Like the city, Agg's company also uses specialized equipment to measure exactly how much salt workers are throwing on the ground. But he says the risk of lawsuits makes them oversalt for the sake of the business.

"We're salting so much because of liability," he said.

"The biggest issue with my industry right now is the liability insurance: the cost of adjusters, the cost of legal, the cost of paying deductibles, the cost of paying settlements. Overall, that's about 10 per cent of the income we bring in, which is insane.

"It's becoming unsustainable."

Agg says sometimes the owners of the properties themselves are asking for more salt than is needed to feel more safe.

"We've had condominiums and commercial buildings tell us, 'I want to see grains of salt at all times on my property,'" he said. "That's over-salting. If you're salting the right amount, you shouldn't actually see salt."

"I think as a society we've got this idea that more salt means safer, which is not true."

Calls for a provincial standard

Agg is one of about 7,000 winter maintenance contractors represented by Landscape Ontario. Together, they are lobbying the Ontario government to provide protection for operators like him.

He says today, contractors assume all the risk when they sign on to maintain a property. If someone falls, they are open to getting sued.

Instead, Agg says his industry wants to work with researchers to create a standard for how much salt is the right amount to use for safety and the environment — tracked by the calibrated equipment and overseen by a government agency. If workers met that standard, they would be safe from lawsuits.

The province has not yet replied to a request for comment.

"Our hope is, if we can get that standard recognized by the province, that we can actually get somewhere," Agg said.