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Ontario runs low on salt: Shortage affects winter road maintenance
February 5, 2026 · 0 Comments
By Brian Lockhart
A province-wide salt shortage is forcing cities and towns to adjust road maintenance and ration salt used to de-ice streets and sidewalks.
An early start to winter this year, followed by almost constant precipitation, means most municipalities have already used up a sizable portion of their salt stockpile.
Demand for road salt is so high that one of the world’s largest underground salt mines in Goderich can’t keep up with demand. The Goderich mine runs below Lake Huron.
The mine has been operating around the clock, but still can’t keep up with the demand.
Many municipalities are now using a salt-and-sand mixture to keep roads safe.
The Town of New Tecumseth’s Transportation Operations team has now shifted to a salt-and-sand mixture on local streets and roads.
While extreme cold makes salt less effective, the main reason for the switch is to make sure the limited salt supply is responsibly managed.
When the supply issues are resolved, the Town will return to standard winter maintenance.
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