Service
Snow Removal Coordination
Calgary bylaw gives you 24 hours after a snowfall, and an uncleared walk is a liability as well as a signal.
City of Calgary bylaw requires the public sidewalk adjoining a property to be cleared within 24 hours of a snowfall ending. That obligation does not pause because the owner is in Arizona, and an uncleared walk in front of an obviously empty house attracts exactly the wrong kind of attention — from the city, from neighbours, and from anyone assessing whether the house is occupied.
Clearing is arranged with a local provider on a per-snowfall or seasonal basis. What VacantHomes adds is verification: the next visit confirms the work was actually done, photographs the result, and notes ice, drifting or windrow problems that a plow left behind.
That verification loop is the part that fails most often when an owner arranges snow clearing directly from another province. The service gets booked, the invoices arrive, and nobody has ever confirmed that the walk was clear.
Who performs this work
Alberta regulates this work, or it carries risk that belongs with an insured specialist. VacantHomes sources the provider, attends for access, verifies completion and records it against your property — but does not perform the work and does not warrant it.
Availability
This service is delivered through third-party providers. Contact us to confirm current availability for your property and area.
Common questions
Do I still have to clear snow if nobody lives there?
Yes. City of Calgary bylaw requires the public sidewalk adjoining a property to be cleared of snow and ice within 24 hours of a snowfall ending. That obligation attaches to the property owner and does not pause because the property is empty or the owner is out of the country.
Failure to clear can result in the city arranging removal and billing the owner, plus a penalty. More practically, an uncleared walk in front of an obviously empty house is a liability if someone is injured, and it is one of the clearest possible signals that nobody has been there.
Arranging clearing is straightforward; the part that fails is verification. Owners commonly book a service from another province, receive invoices, and never confirm the work was actually done. Having someone confirm and photograph the result after each snowfall closes that loop.
Does an empty house attract break-ins?
An empty house that visibly looks empty does. An empty house that does not look empty is a much less interesting proposition.
Properties are generally selected on visible cues rather than any knowledge of who lives there: accumulated mail and flyers, an uncleared walk after a snowfall, unchanging or absent lighting, no vehicle, blinds in the same position for weeks, and untended grass. Every one of those is removable.
The practical countermeasures are unglamorous and effective. Mail collected and flyers cleared. Walks cleared within a day of snowfall. Grass cut. Bins out and back on collection day. Lighting on varied timers rather than one lamp on a fixed cycle. Blinds moved. Visits at irregular times rather than the same hour every week.
One more thing worth checking: many policies restrict or exclude vandalism and theft coverage once a property has been vacant beyond a defined period. If that applies to your situation, the loss may not respond the way you assume. Ask your broker.
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