Who shovels the snow at an Alberta rental? The city decides who must clear the sidewalk, and the lease decides who does the work. Calgary's Street Bylaw and Edmonton's Community Standards Bylaw both put the duty on the owner or the occupant of the land. Alberta's Residential Tenancies Act says nothing about snow, so a landlord and tenant settle it in writing in the lease.
Who has to clear the sidewalk at a Calgary rental?
In Calgary, section 67 of the Street Bylaw (20M88) requires the owner or occupant of a property to clear the public sidewalk or pathway beside it down to the bare surface. The City's snow and ice bylaw page gives the deadline as 24 hours after a snowfall ends.
- Which sidewalk: the public sidewalk or pathway that runs along the front or side of the property. For a pathway, the City asks for a cleared width of at least 1.5 metres.
- The ticket: the City says a first offence is a $250 fine to the property occupant. Repeat offenders may be fined $500 for a second offence and $750 for a third within 12 months.
- The clearing bill: if a City notice to clear is not acted on, the City clears the sidewalk and invoices the property owner. The City puts the cost at a minimum flat rate of $150 plus GST and an administration fee, and an unpaid invoice is added to the owner's property tax.
- Owners who live elsewhere: the City states that the owner of a rental property who lives somewhere else is still responsible for making sure the sidewalk is cleared, regardless of who does the work.
So a Calgary tenant can be the one ticketed while the owner pays for the crew, which is why the lease needs to say who shovels.
Who has to clear the sidewalk at an Edmonton rental?
In Edmonton, section 7 of the Community Standards Bylaw 14600 says a person must keep any sidewalk next to land they own or occupy clear of all snow and ice. That wording can reach both the owner and a tenant who lives there.
- No fixed deadline: the City's residential sidewalk page says the bylaw does not set a timeframe and that snow and ice are to be removed as quickly as possible, cleared to the concrete or asphalt for the full width and length of the sidewalk.
- The 48-hour figure: 48 hours is not a clearing deadline. It is when the City starts taking complaints: between November 1 and May 1, and only when it has not snowed for at least 48 hours.
- The ticket: section 43(2)(c) of the bylaw sets the fine for a section 7 offence at $100, and section 43(2)(f) doubles it for a subsequent offence.
- The clearing bill: on top of the ticket, the City can send a contractor and invoice the cost of clearing. The City says unpaid charges go on the legal owner's tax roll.
- No warning required: the City says warning notices and door hangers are a courtesy, and not getting one does not cancel the ticket or the charge.
On rentals, the City says invoice details go only to the property owner, and agreements between owner and tenant must be resolved between them.
Calgary and Edmonton side by side
| Calgary | Edmonton | |
|---|---|---|
| Rule | Street Bylaw 20M88, s.67 | Community Standards Bylaw 14600, s.7 |
| Who must clear | Owner or occupant | Anyone who owns or occupies the land |
| Deadline | 24 hours after the snowfall ends | No set time: as quickly as possible |
| Standard | Bare surface; 1.5 m on a pathway | To the concrete or asphalt, full width and length |
| Fine | $250 to the occupant; $500, then $750, within 12 months | $100; doubled for a subsequent offence |
| If the City clears it | Invoice to the owner: minimum $150 plus GST and an administration fee | Contractor's cost invoiced; unpaid charges go on the owner's tax roll |
| Complaints | After 24 hours have passed since the snowfall | November 1 to May 1, once it has not snowed for 48 hours |
What does Alberta's Residential Tenancies Act say about snow removal?
Nothing. The landlord's covenants in section 16 of the Residential Tenancies Act and the tenant's covenants in section 21 do not mention snow, ice or sidewalks. The province's Minimum Housing and Health Standards, which section 16(c) makes part of every tenancy, do not mention snow either.
That leaves the question to the lease. If the lease is silent, the city can still ticket the occupant and bill the owner, so write it down rather than rely on what is "usual". The basics of a written Alberta lease are in Alberta Residential Leases: What Must Be in Writing.
What should an Alberta lease say about snow clearing?
A good snow clause names who clears, what they clear, how fast, and who pays a ticket or a City invoice.
A single-family house rented to one household
- State whether the tenant clears the public sidewalk, front walk, steps and driveway, or the landlord sends someone.
- Use the city's clock: 24 hours after the snowfall ends in Calgary; as quickly as possible in Edmonton.
- Say who supplies the shovel and ice melt, and who pays a fine or City invoice.
A house with a basement suite, or a side-by-side or up-down duplex
- Name the stretch each household clears, or one household for the whole frontage. "The tenants" with no detail invites each to assume the other was on duty.
An apartment building, row housing or anything with common areas
- Landlords usually keep sidewalks and shared walks themselves or hire a contractor, since no single tenant controls the frontage. Say so in the lease, and say how tenants report an icy spot.
What happens if nobody clears the snow?
In both cities, the clearing bill ends up with the owner, and an unpaid one goes on the property tax. Section 67(5) of Calgary's bylaw also lets the City clear a dangerous sidewalk next to a property that is unoccupied or whose owner lives outside the city, and recover the cost from the owner. In Edmonton, section 10(2) of Bylaw 14600 says the owner of an unoccupied building must keep every walk and driveway on the property clear.
Passing a ticket or invoice on to a tenant is a matter for the lease. Alberta's Act lets a landlord deduct from a security deposit only in line with conditions the tenant agreed to (section 46(2)), so a landlord who wants to recover a clearing charge should have a clear written term. If the two sides disagree, the dispute can go to the Residential Tenancy Dispute Resolution Service or the court. See Security Deposit Deductions in Alberta before deducting anything.
Who is liable if someone slips?
This is a general pointer, not legal advice. Alberta's Occupiers' Liability Act says an occupier owes visitors the care that is reasonable in the circumstances to see they are reasonably safe on the premises (section 5). It defines an occupier as someone in physical possession of the premises or with responsibility for and control over their condition, and says there may be more than one occupier of the same premises (section 1(c)). In a rental, that can mean both the tenant and the landlord.
The Act does not apply to highways under a municipality's control (section 4(1)(c)), and both cities' bylaws treat the public sidewalk as part of the street. The Act's duty reaches the property itself: the private walk, front steps and driveway. If an injury happens, both parties should speak to their insurer.
What to do now
- Read your lease. No snow clause? Agree one in writing before the next snowfall.
- Name each stretch (public sidewalk, walk, steps, driveway) and who clears it.
- Plan for absences and vacancies. Name a backup; book a contractor for any empty unit.
- Keep sand or ice melt on site for freeze-thaw days.
- Check your insurance, landlord and tenant both.
For the rest of the winter list, see Winterizing an Alberta Rental. For each city's other local rules, see the Calgary landlord and tenant guide and the Edmonton landlord and tenant guide.
How Tenon10 helps
Tenon10 creates Alberta leases, so the snow clause sits in the agreement both sides sign. It also runs move-in and move-out inspection reports and tracks deposits and their return dates.
Frequently asked questions
How long do I have to shovel my sidewalk in Calgary?
The City of Calgary says sidewalks must be cleared to the bare surface within 24 hours after a snowfall ends. Complaints are accepted only once those 24 hours have passed.
Is there a 48-hour rule for shovelling in Edmonton?
Not as a deadline. The City says Bylaw 14600 sets no timeframe and snow should be cleared as quickly as possible; 48 hours without snow is when it starts accepting complaints.
Does a tenant have to shovel snow in Alberta?
Only if the lease says so. The Residential Tenancies Act does not assign snow clearing. The city bylaws apply to owners and occupants, so a tenant living in the home can still be ticketed if nobody clears the sidewalk.
Who pays when the City clears a rental's sidewalk?
The owner, in both cities. Whether the owner can recover the cost from a tenant depends on the lease.
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