By Lyndon McLean

Winter salt is an inexpensive and easy way to deal with icy patches. Trucks salting roadways and neighbours spreading a little de-icer on the front sidewalk are familiar sight. But as a tragedy such as the collapse of the Algo Centre Mall in Elliot Lake shows, there can be high costs associated with overuse of salt and a lack of facility maintenance.

The Smart About Salt Council is an independent, not-for-profit organization dedicated to protecting the environment through programs that improve management of winter salt used to control ice on sidewalks, parking lots and roadways. The council was started by its partners, the Region of Waterloo, Landscape Ontario Horticultural Trades Association, Building Owners and Managers Association of Ottawa, and Ontario Good Roads Association.

In response to concerns over rising levels of sodium and chlorides in municipal drinking water, the Region of Waterloo took action. One of the first large municipalities to recognize that winter salt use is a major problem, they developed an active strategy for more efficient salt use on its roads. But they also developed the Smart About Salt program, designed to teach private contractors and property managers the best practices of salt management that help to reduce its use while still ensuring that public safety is not compromised.

From building owners to snow removal contractors to the general public, each partner has an important stake in ensuring that its members and constituents understand the program’s value in protecting the environment. All partners encourage everyone to participate in and promote this program. For example, the Region of Waterloo now requires all of its contractors that apply salt on its building properties to be registered in the Smart About Salt program, as contracts are renewed.

Smart About Salt’s Guiding Principles

Mission:

• To protect freshwater…