Street Sweeping | Town of Midland

Regular street sweeping occurs throughout the year in Midland. Crews work around the clock to clear debris and dust from roads, bike lanes and major pathways, making them cleaner and safer for all modes of transportation. When you see Town equipment, keep a safe distance (15 meters away) and slow down when driving.

Spring Street Sweeping

The annual spring sweeping program removes sand used during winter road maintenance, cleaning roadways to improve safety and protect stormwater systems. Activities include Town-owned streets, sidewalks, and paved boulevards (grassed boulevard areas are not included). Unassumed subdivision roads (areas under development) are not included unless requested by the developer.

Spring street sweeping activities in Midland begin as soon as weather conditions permit. Inclement weather may result in delays, with sweeping resuming once conditions improve.

Latest Street Sweeping Update

April 24, 2026

Crews have completed Zones 4 and 5. Crews continue some cleanup work downtown in Zone 1 and started in Zone 2 on Monday, April 20. While you may see sweeping activity in Zone 3, it is not being actively swept, and sweepers will return to Zone 3 in future. Please note that unassumed subdivision roads (areas under development) are not included unless requested by the developer.

This webpage will be updated when sweepers move into a new zone. Stay tuned to this webpage (midland.ca/StreetSweeping) for updates.

Schedule

Sweeping order follows Minimum Maintenance Standards road classifications (Priority & Secondary roads). Sand removal starts with the downtown area and Town parking lots, then arterial roads throughout Midland, then residential Town streets. Crews start downtown (Zone 1) and then move into other sweeping zones. Timely updates are posted on this webpage to let residents know the zone in which activity is currently taking place.

Street sweeping is generally done during daytime hours between 8am and midnight (weekdays), with some activities taking place overnight.

Process

During sweeping, staff use blowers to remove the sand from boulevards and sidewalks to the road where the sweepers then sweep the sand. The material is loaded into tandem dump trucks to haul the sand away.

How you can help

Please avoid parking on the street during the street sweeping program, if possible, especially if the latest update indicates that sweepers are in your zone. Street sweepers will sweep around parked vehicles and keep track of missed locations. We will attempt to revisit the area at the end of the sweeping schedule. However, we cannot guarantee that crews will be able to return at a later date.

Know your Zone

Use the spring cleanup map to know what zone you are in. Updates are posting to this webpage as crews move in to different zones.

Frequently Asked Questions

What about the grassy area on my boulevard?

Sand used during winter road maintenance can sometimes be plowed onto driveways and onto boulevards. Each spring, street sweeping crews clean Town‑owned streets, paved boulevards, and sidewalks. Grassed boulevard areas are not swept unless there is a drainage point that needs to be kept clear to allow proper water flow.

Property owners are prohibited from sweeping or raking sand from grassed areas onto the roadway; sand is considered domestic waste under the Littering By-law.

The light amount of sand typically deposited on grassed areas during winter road maintenance does not impede grass growth. Fine sand works into the turf canopy over time and, at modest levels, does not smother grass or interfere with spring regrowth.

Will street sweeping continue if it rains or snows?

It is difficult for sweepers to operate effectively after a snowfall. Sweeping may be delayed, but we will complete the street sweeping schedule once conditions improve. Rain generally will not impact operations.

Why does street sweeping sometimes take place overnight?

Overnight crews work to clear debris and dust from downtown, municipal lots following the winter season to ensure areas are safe. With less traffic and fewer vehicles on the roads at night this makes the operation safer for staff and motorists. It also reduces the issue of dust debris with fewer pedestrians out and about at that time. We understand that extra noise at night can be a concern and we apologize for any inconvenience. We appreciate your patience and understanding.

What is the artwork on the side of the street sweeper?

The Keep Midland Clean artwork on the side of the smaller street sweeper is a prize winner for a colouring contest that happened during one of the Town's annual Public Works Palooza events.