One of the most common complaints I hear from residents is about the condition of our roads - and understandably so. But, did you know that municipalities in Ontario must follow provincial minimum maintenance standards for municipal roads?
The Ontario Minimum Maintenance Standards are set out in Ontario Regulation 239/02 under the Municipal Act, 2001 and establish the minimum maintenance obligations for municipal highways in Ontario.
These standards are set by the Province and establish the minimum requirements for things like:- Snow clearing
- Ice control
- Pothole repairs
- Road inspections and patrols
- Shoulder maintenance
- Sign maintenance
Roads are classified based on factors such as traffic volume and speed limits. Busier roads have higher maintenance standards and shorter response times than quieter rural roads.
The following is the classification table for all municipal roads in Ontario:
Provincial roads (12, 7A), and Region of Durham Roads (Simcoe, Reach, Island, 57, etc.) are all Class 1 and 2 roads. Township of Scugog roads fall in Classes 3, 4 and 5.
For the purposes of this article, I will focus on potholes. The following a chart outlining the patrol frequency, minimum pothole size to require repair, and the number of days within which the pothole must be repaired:
As you can see, some roads must be patrolled several times each week, while others only require inspections once every 30 days. The time municipalities have to repair potholes also varies based on the classification of the road. Hopefully this helps explain why a pothole can exist for so long before it’s repaired. For example, if a pothole develops on a Class 5 road the day after it’s patrol, it could take up to another 59 days before it’s repaired (29 days to the next patrol + 30 days for repair).
For Township of Scugog Roads (Class 3-5), a pothole must be BOTH:
- More than 1,000 cm² in surface area (about the size of a standard sheet of paper), AND
- More than 8 cm (just over 3 inches) deep
What does this mean?
Residents don't drive on "minimum standards." They drive on the roads in front of their homes every day.
Municipalities can choose to exceed the Province's minimum requirements - and many do whenever budgets and resources allow. For example, the Region of Durham’s Ajax-Pickering Depot patrols and maintains all the roads in Ajax and Pickering as if they are Class 1 roads. Whereas, the Region’s other depots maintain the roads per classification requirements.
Understanding how the system works isn't about accepting poor road conditions. It's about understanding the rules municipalities operate under so we can have informed conversations about priorities, budgets, and the level of service we expect.