Facts. Not Fiction: If the Town Owns the Boulevard, Why Am I Responsible for It?
“If the Town owns the boulevard, why am I responsible for maintaining it?”
It's a fair question - and one we see come up regularly.
The short answer is: ownership and maintenance responsibility aren't always the same thing.
The portion of land between your property and the street, commonly referred to as the boulevard, is owned by the Town of Whitby. These areas can provide access to municipal services and may need to be accessed for repairs or improvements.
But under Whitby's current Clean Community By-law, property owners are responsible for maintaining the boulevard next to their property. That includes keeping grass and weeds below 15 centimeters.
But if I maintain it, isn't it my property?
No.
Maintaining a Town-owned boulevard doesn't make it private property. There are rules about what can and can't be done there. For example, fences and certain objects aren't permitted, plants can't be placed over sidewalks or too close to roads or fire hydrants, and Town-planted trees cannot be cut or removed.
So, while the homeowner has responsibility for maintaining the space, the Town retains ownership and control of the boulevard.
What about snow? The same idea applies in winter.
Property owners are responsible for clearing snow and ice from the sidewalks bordering their property within 24 hours of the accumulation. Property owners are also responsible for clearing their driveways and windrows left by snowplows, and for keeping the area around fire hydrants on the boulevard clear.
At the same time, the Town maintains hundreds of kilometres of roads and sidewalks through its winter operations, working through a defined system of priorities.
There is also a free snow and a Windrow Clearing program for eligible Whitby residents who are 65 or older or have a qualifying disability and meet the program requirements.
“But I pay property taxes.”
You do - and those taxes support the many municipal services Whitby provides.
While the Town is responsible for many municipal services, property owners also have responsibilities assigned through municipal by-laws, including boulevard maintenance and sidewalk snow and ice clearing.
Have you spotted and issue? Maybe its a pothole, a damaged sidewalk or overflowing garbage bin - let us know so we can look into it.
The quickest way is through the Report an Issue tool. When you submit a service request, you'll receive a service request number, which gives you something to reference if you need to follow up.
Living in a community means shared responsibility.
Sometimes that means maintaining the boulevard beside your property, clearing your sidewalk after snowfall, or simply reporting an issue so the right people can take action.
Knowing how the system actually works beats the comments section. Every. Time.
Share facts. Not fiction. Straight from the source ➤ whitby.ca/Subscribe
Not sure who to contact? Start here:
Service Whitby: 905-430-4300 or service@whitby.ca
Durham Region 311 - Regional roads, water, sewer, and recycling.
More information:
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