Winter isn’t just a change in temperature—it’s a full-scale operational shift. Snow, ice, and freezing rain can disrupt everything from store openings to delivery schedules. In cities across North America—whether in Toronto, Calgary, Chicago, or New York—average seasonal snowfall can exceed 200 cm.
For retailers, the impact is immediate. Customer safety, staff mobility, and brand perception are all put at risk when snow and ice aren’t managed effectively. A slick entrance or an icy parking lot can lead to injuries, legal claims, and negative customer experiences that linger long after the storm.
This is why early planning matters.
DAVACO, a trusted leader in turnkey facility maintenance, offers snow and ice removal services tailored to multi-site retail operations across both the U.S. and Canada. From coast to coast, we help retailers maintain safe, accessible locations through proactive strategies that minimize risk and maximize uptime.
The costs of poor snow management extend far beyond the visible accumulation at your storefront.
Slip-and-fall incidents are among the most common liabilities in retail environments during winter. If you’ve managed facilities, you’ve likely heard (or experienced) a horror story about a slip and fall. These incidents can lead to costly liabilities between $20,000 to $75,000—and, in extreme cases, even more. One such instance involved a CEO who slipped, broke his neck, and became paralyzed. The company had to compensate his entire salary annually due to the loss of his ability to work. While this is an extreme case, it underscores how critical snow and ice management is to protecting both people and businesses.
Next, there’s the impact on access. Snow-covered walkways and unplowed lots frustrate customers and slow down operations. In high-traffic retail environments, especially during peak seasons, even a few hours of delay can result in thousands of dollars in lost revenue. Weather-related disruptions have been shown to reduce foot traffic by up to 30% on affected days.
For national or regional chains operating in both the U.S. and Canada, the problem grows more complex. A piecemeal, site-by-site approach to snow removal often results in inconsistent service levels, miscommunication, and coverage gaps. Customers don’t care that one store had a different contractor—they expect the same safe, clear access at every location.
Neglecting these expectations doesn’t just slow business—it damages your reputation. A customer slipping outside one store can influence how they perceive your entire brand.
Waiting until October to plan for snow removal can leave you without coverage when the first storm hits. By late summer, top-tier vendors are already fully booked. Those who plan ahead gain access to better resources, better pricing, and faster response times.
With early planning, you can:
At DAVACO, we integrate this preparation into our turnkey facility maintenance model. Our teams work closely with multi-site clients, ensuring every location across the U.S. and Canada enters the winter season ready, responsive, and aligned with corporate standards.
An often-overlooked risk in snow and ice management is refreeze. For example, a retailer might choose to cap their snow removal contract at a pre-treatment and a single salting at the end of a precipitation event. While the snow may melt, refreeze can happen overnight—regardless of whether new precipitation occurs or not.
In one such instance a dangerous refreeze ended up leading to a catastrophic injury. In fact, it was the CEO paralyzation referenced earlier. The problem? The client’s contract didn’t allow for additional salting unless there was a new storm event, but the refreeze was an inevitable hazard that occurred regardless.
This is an example of how important it is to ensure you have the proper plan in place. DAVACO helps customers set up the right strategy, ensuring they and their customers and employees are protected. Neglecting salting or snow removal at key times can lead to dangerous consequences. We work with you to ensure your locations stay safe, with proactive planning that covers a wide range of scenarios, even those you may not have considered.
DAVACO delivers a national-scale solution for a distinctly local problem—snow and ice. With comprehensive coverage across North America, our services support businesses that operate at scale yet require site-specific reliability. From downtown Toronto to Vancouver, and throughout the U.S., we ensure that your retail locations remain safe, clear, and operational.
Our snow and ice removal program includes plowing, salting, de-icing, sidewalk clearing, and on-call emergency response. We don’t just offer these services—we ensure that you and your customers have a hassle-free experience throughout the snow season.
Our strength lies in multi-site expertise. Whether managing retail chains, quick-service restaurants, or national commercial portfolios, our teams execute snow strategies with precision. Clients benefit from one point of contact, nationwide consistency, and access to a vetted, responsive vendor network. This means fewer surprises, faster response times, and peace of mind that comes from working with a seasoned facility maintenance partner.
At DAVACO, we go beyond the standard maintenance and snow removal services. We also provide emergency storm preparation and cleanup. By partnering with us, you not only get a reliable snow and ice removal service but also a dedicated team ready to handle disaster situations. Whether it’s after a storm or in preparation for one, you’ll have someone to call to ensure that your locations remain operational and safe, even during extreme weather events.
In DAVACO's facilities management, “turnkey” means everything is handled—from vendor selection to compliance reporting—without burdening your internal teams. The model is built around delivering seamless service across all aspects of retail maintenance.
Turnkey means:
Choosing a turnkey partner like DAVACO means your team doesn’t have to coordinate multiple vendors or chase down compliance reports. Everything is managed centrally, and service is delivered consistently.
The result?
It’s a single-vendor solution designed to support year-round retail performance—not just during the snow season.
If you’re looking to stay ahead of next year’s winter weather, the time to act is now. Use the warmer months to set your strategy in motion and avoid the last-minute scramble.
Start by conducting site evaluations before the fall to identify unique risk areas and access points.
Flag high-priority zones—like high-traffic entrances or VIP pickup lanes—that may require elevated service standards.
Lock in vendor coverage early to ensure that your locations are on the service list once the snow begins to fall.
Most importantly, align snow and ice removal with your larger retail maintenance calendar. Treat it as part of a broader operational readiness strategy, not a seasonal afterthought.
To ensure you're covered on all fronts, connect with DAVACO’s facility services team before summer even begins. We’ll help you build a winter plan that’s as smart as it is scalable.
Smart retailers know that success in winter doesn’t start with the first snowfall—it starts with a plan. The earlier you prepare, the more control you’ll have over outcomes, costs, and customer satisfaction.
DAVACO is ready to support your business with turnkey facility maintenance, including reliable snow and ice removal and emergency storm cleanup. Whether you operate ten locations or ten hundred, we have the scale, structure, and strategy to keep you prepared.
Talk to us today to build your snow and ice strategy for next season—before it’s too late.