Snow Removal Markham

Markham is the busiest snow removal market we serve, and it is easy to see why. The city is a mix of long suburban driveways, townhouse rows with shared laneways, condo and plaza parking lots and some of the busiest retail corridors in York Region. When a storm rolls in off Lake Ontario or a band of lake-effect snow settles over the north end of the city, thousands of households need to get out the door at the same time. Green Crest Landscaping runs dedicated Markham routes so your driveway is part of a planned loop, not an afterthought squeezed between jobs in other cities.

This page explains what our Markham snow service includes, how we handle the different types of homes and properties in the city, and how to book before the season starts.

Why Markham homes need a reliable snow service

Most Markham homes were built from the 1980s onward, and a large share of them in the last twenty-five years. That means double-wide driveways, garages set close to the street and interlock walkways that look good but hold ice if salt is not applied at the right time. Newer subdivisions in Cornell, Wismer and Berczy Village often have narrow lots with laneway garages at the back, which leaves little room to pile snow. In older areas like Markham Village and Unionville, mature trees and tight side yards make hand clearing more important than plowing.

Then there is the windrow. When the city plow clears your street, it pushes a ridge of heavy, compacted snow across the end of your driveway. After a big storm, that ridge can be knee high and set like concrete within hours. It is the single most common reason homeowners call us mid-storm. Clearing the windrow is part of our residential Markham routes when you request it at the quote.

What our Markham snow removal includes

• Driveway plowing for single, double and extended driveways once snowfall reaches your agreed trigger depth.
• Walkway and step clearing by hand, including front porches, side paths to gates and paths to the backyard when requested.
• End-of-driveway windrow clearing after the city plow passes, on routes that include it.
• Salting of walkways, steps and driveways to stop refreeze and black ice.
• Laneway and townhouse clearing for rear-garage homes in Cornell and similar communities.
• Commercial plowing and salting for plazas, offices, medical buildings and condo lots across Markham. See our commercial snow removal page.

Markham neighbourhoods we cover

We plan routes by area so crews arrive in a logical order during a storm. Our Markham routes include:

Unionville and Angus Glen

Larger lots, long driveways and heritage homes near Main Street Unionville. These properties often need both plowing and careful hand clearing around stone walkways and mature gardens.

Cornell and Wismer

Newer communities with laneway garages, townhouses and narrow front walks. Snow storage is tight, so we agree where snow will go before the season starts.

Berczy Village, Cathedraltown and Greensborough

Family homes with double driveways and interlock walkways. Salt timing matters here, because interlock holds meltwater in the joints and refreezes overnight.

Markham Village, Box Grove and Milliken

A mix of older and newer homes, plus busy retail plazas along Highway 7, Markham Road and Steeles Avenue that need early morning commercial clearing.

If your street is not listed, call 647-617-4020. We cover all of Markham, including the Markham side of Thornhill.

How Markham snow service works

1. Book in the fall. Call or WhatsApp us with your address. Most Markham customers book in October or November, often together with their leaf cleanup.
2. Site walk. We look at the driveway, walkways, curbs, garden beds and where snow can be stored, and mark edges before the ground freezes.
3. Written quote. You get a written quote with the trigger depth, what is included and whether salting is automatic. Nothing starts until you approve it.
4. Storm day. Crews follow the Markham route as snow accumulates, clearing driveways for the morning and returning for the windrow when included.
5. Ice control. Salt goes down on walkways and steps where it is part of your plan, with extra visits for freezing rain as agreed.

Signs you should stop doing it yourself

• You are clearing the same driveway two or three times per storm because the city plow keeps refilling the end.
• Someone in the household has back, heart or mobility concerns, or you travel during the winter.
• Your interlock or concrete steps ice over every morning despite shovelling.
• You have a laneway garage and nowhere left to throw snow by February.
• You leave for work before 7 a.m. and cannot wait for a contractor who arrives at noon.

Residential, commercial and condo properties

For homes, our focus is a clear driveway and safe path to the door before the morning commute. For businesses and property managers in Markham, the priorities change: accessible parking stalls and ramps first, entrances salted before opening, and a time-stamped record of each visit. Condo boards and townhouse corporations usually need private roads, visitor parking and common walkways handled on a schedule. Each of these runs on its own route so a large lot never delays residential customers. Read more on residential snow removal and driveway snow removal.

Honest advice when hiring snow removal in Markham

Every winter, Markham community groups fill up with posts from homeowners whose contractor stopped showing up in January. Before you hire anyone, ask these questions:

• What snowfall depth triggers a visit, and is the windrow included?
• Are walkways and steps included, or only the driveway?
• Is salting automatic, on request, or extra?
• Roughly how many properties are on the route, and when will my driveway usually be done?
• What happens during an extended storm, and will you come back?
• Will I get a written quote listing all of the above?

We answer every one of these in writing before the season starts.

Common myths about snow removal

“I can wait until the snow stops.”

Waiting lets snow compact under car tires and footsteps, and that packed layer turns to ice once temperatures drop. Clearing during long storms keeps surfaces safer.

“More salt is always better.”

Over-salting wastes product, damages concrete and harms lawns and gardens along the driveway. The right amount, applied at the right time, works better.

“Seasonal plans only make sense in snowy years.”

A seasonal plan secures a spot on the route before winter starts. In a heavy storm, contractors serve plan customers first, so per-visit customers can wait much longer.

Snow removal Markham FAQs

How early will my Markham driveway be cleared?

Residential routes aim to have driveways clear before the morning commute when snow ends overnight. Timing depends on when the storm ends and how much falls, and we confirm the expected window at the quote.

Do you clear sidewalks in front of my house?

We clear your private walkways, steps and driveway. Public sidewalks are generally maintained by the city. If you would like the strip in front of your home included, ask at the quote.

Do you serve Markham businesses?

Yes. We plow and salt plazas, office lots, medical buildings and condo properties across Markham. See commercial snow removal.

Can I add salting only on icy days?

Yes. Salting can be automatic with every visit or on request after freezing rain or a thaw and refreeze.

Do you offer seasonal contracts in Markham?

Yes. Seasonal plans cover the whole winter so you never need to call during a storm. See seasonal snow removal contracts.

What else do you do in the fall?

Leaf cleanup, leaf removal and full fall yard cleanups. Clearing leaves before snow protects your lawn and keeps drains flowing during spring melt. See fall cleanup.

More snow services near Markham

• All snow removal services
• Richmond Hill
• Vaughan
• Thornhill
• Aurora
• Newmarket

Getting a Markham property ready before the first storm

Markham streets range from the heritage homes of Unionville and Markham Village to newer townhome rows in Cornell and Cathedraltown, and every one benefits from a little preparation in the fall. Clear leaves from the lawn before the snow arrives, because leaves left under snow lead to snow mould. Mark the edges of the driveway, curbs and beds with snow stakes before the ground freezes. Keep snow piles off shrubs and hedges along the driveway, and point downspouts away from paths so meltwater does not freeze overnight. See leaf cleanup, how to mark a driveway with snow stakes and how to prevent ice on a driveway and walkway. If you live near the Vaughan border on the west side of Yonge, see our Thornhill snow removal page, which covers both sides of Thornhill.