Potholes become much more prevalent during the spring due to the freeze/thaw cycle. Water seeps into cracks in the pavement, saturating the soil underneath. Temperatures drop and the water in the soil freezes and expands, pushing up the asphalt. The constant traffic load breaks the asphalt causing surface holes. Further traffic load and weather conditions continue to cause the granular base to erode leaving potholes.
The winter and spring seasons typically present issues for crews when trying to patch potholes. Patching is generally a temporary solution until potholes can be permanently repaired through the City's Asphalt patching program which runs throughout the summer.
Report a Pothole
Use this service to report damage to City roads including potholes, settlements, dips or uneven pavement.
Submitting a Claim
When making a claim against the City for pothole damages it's important to note that the City will not be responsible for damage if it has met the Provincial Minimum Maintenance Standards of Ontario(MMS).
The MMS is comprised of a series of standards for various aspects of road maintenance (patrolling, salting, clearing snow and pothole repair) which vary, depending on the speed limit and traffic volume on a particular roadway in accordance with these standards:
- Potholes in higher speed roads and high-volume roads are repaired more quickly than ones on side streets.
- On main (arterial) roads, the City strives to repair potholes within four days from the date they are reported.
- On secondary collector roads, the City has seven days to repair potholes.
- On side streets, the City has 30 days to repair potholes.
To submit a claim contact the Clerks Department at 705-474-0400.
Related Information
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