The official start of winter may still be a month away but Public Works Chair Jaye Robinson says the city already has a “multi-pronged plan” to keep roads and sidewalks clear of snow and ice.

Robinson made the comment at a city-run salt yard on Eastern Avenue, where she unveiled the steps that the city is taking to ensure that it is ready to respond to snow storms and sub-zero conditions this winter.

The city’s winter operation plan will include a fleet of 600 snowplows, 300 sidewalk plows and 200 salt trucks that will be kept at facilities across Toronto as well as about 1,500 personnel that will be on 24/7 standby.

The city also has five weather information centres, which include temperature sensors buried underneath the pavement so staff can monitor when the roads begin to freeze.

“The city has a multi-pronged plan to tackle winter with a wide range of equipment to contact various stages of snow and ice,” Robinson said. “Whether it is applying salt brine, adding beet juice to boost the salt’s effectiveness in extremely cold temperatures or plowing roads and sidewalks there is a plan. City staff will be constantly monitoring conditions and responding quickly to keep the city moving.”

The city has about $90 million in its winter operations budget, a number which has proven to be sufficient in recent years.

In addition to a fleet of trucks to salt and plow the roads, Robinson said that the city is also turning to technology.

She said that the new ramp from the eastbound Gardiner Expressway to York, Bay and Yonge Streets, expected to open in January, will include an automatic deicing system underneath the pavement that will allow staff to “simply hit a button” to heat up and fully de-ice the roadway.

Residents will also be able to visit a city-run website to monitor how recently the roads and streets that they use have been plowed or salted.

“Transportation services, wherever they can, are embracing technology and innovation,” she said.

The city’s policy is to beginning clearing expressways after 2 cm of snowfall and main roads after 5 cm of snowfall. Local roads are only plowed after 8 cm of snowfall.

There is also a priority network of bike lanes which will receive “enhanced winter maintenance,” including frequent plowing and salting.