Disclosure: Neighbr is ours. The advice works with any app, or with pen and paper.
In short
Neither city shovels for seniors any more: Edmonton’s Assisted Snow Removal Pilot ended in April 2026, and Calgary’s Home Services for Seniors program ends on 30 September 2026 and takes no new clients. What’s left: the Government of Alberta’s Special Needs Assistance for Seniors pays lower-income seniors 65+ back for snow removal (up to $1,412 a benefit year, shared with housekeeping), both cities run a volunteer Snow Angels campaign, and in Edmonton, Hello Seniors can refer you to vetted helpers. A neighbour lined up before the first storm is often the quickest fix.
- The City programs are gone: Edmonton’s pilot ended April 2026, Calgary’s ends 30 Sept 2026.
- Lower-income and 65+? Alberta’s Special Needs Assistance for Seniors pays you back for snow removal.
- Snow Angels are neighbours who volunteer. Line one up before the first storm.
At a glance
| Help | Where | What it is | Cost to you |
|---|---|---|---|
| Special Needs Assistance for Seniors | All of Alberta | A provincial benefit that pays you back for snow removal you arrange | Reimbursed up to the yearly maximum if you qualify |
| Snow Angels | Edmonton and Calgary | Neighbours who clear your walk as volunteers | Free |
| Hello Seniors | Edmonton | Referrals to vetted businesses, groups and individuals who clear snow | The provider’s price |
| A neighbour you ask | Anywhere | Someone nearby who shovels after each snowfall | Free, or whatever you agree |
One thing doesn’t change: the sidewalk bylaw still applies to you. Our Edmonton and Calgary sidewalk snow removal bylaw guide has the deadlines and fines.
Is there free snow removal for seniors?
Not from the cities themselves any more.
- Edmonton: the Assisted Snow Removal Pilot, which cleared walkways, driveways and sidewalks for seniors and people with mobility challenges, concluded in April 2026.
- Calgary: the City says it doesn’t provide snow shovelling, and its Home Services for Seniors program (housekeeping, grass cutting and snow removal) ends on 30 September 2026 and stopped taking new clients. The City points people to the provincial benefit below.
Free help now comes from neighbours (Snow Angels), and paid help can be covered by the province if you qualify.
The Alberta benefit that pays for snow removal
Special Needs Assistance for Seniors is a Government of Alberta program. Under “housekeeping and yard maintenance” it covers light housekeeping, plus grass cutting and snow removal. You hire the help, then claim it back.
- Who can get it: you must be 65 or older, live in Alberta, and meet the income rules. For this item the income limit is $28,290 for a single senior or $45,600 for a couple.
- How much: up to $1,412 in a benefit year for housekeeping and yard maintenance together. The benefit year runs 1 July to 30 June.
- Medical note: needed the first time, saying what stops you (and your spouse) doing it yourself. Not needed if you and your spouse are 80 or older.
- Receipts: must show your name and address, the provider’s name, phone number, address and signature, and the date, hours, cost per hour and total.
- Not eligible: paying a family member, living with or renting from family, or living in a lodge, supportive living or continuing care.
Call the Alberta Supports Contact Centre at 1-877-644-9992 (Monday to Friday, 7:30 am to 8 pm). For help with the application, call 211 and press 2 for the Seniors Information Phone Line.
Edmonton: where to get help
- Snow Angel Needed poster. Print the City’s poster and put it in your window so neighbours know you could use a hand. Some community leagues have a weather-resistant version for the front yard, in limited numbers.
- Hello Seniors (Edmonton Seniors Coordinating Council) can refer you to vetted service providers for snow clearing, yard help, housekeeping and home repair.
- Community groups. The City’s sidewalk page lists organizations that can help, including Sage Seniors Association (780-423-5510), Operation Friendship Seniors Society (780-429-2626) and Strathcona Place Seniors Society (780-433-5807).
- 211, press 2 connects you with organizations supporting seniors in Edmonton.
The City is clear that the poster doesn’t exempt you from the bylaw: an uncleared sidewalk can still mean a $100 fine plus the cost of clearing it. So keep a backup.
Calgary: where to get help
- Snow Angels. The City runs the campaign, usually December to mid-April, but it doesn’t keep a list of Snow Angels or match people up. Help comes from neighbours who “adopt a sidewalk”.
- Not eligible for the Alberta benefit? The City suggests calling 403-SENIORS (403-736-4677) or 211.
- Thank your helper. Print a Snow Angel certificate yourself, or make a 311 request and the City mails one to you to pass on.
How to line up a neighbour before the first storm
- Ask early. In October or November, before the first big snowfall, not on the morning of it.
- Say exactly what you need. The sidewalk, the driveway, the path to the door, and whether you want salt or grit down.
- Agree on timing. After each snowfall, and by when, so you stay inside the bylaw.
- Agree on pay, or none. A Snow Angel helps free; a neighbour teen may want a little per visit. If you plan to claim the Alberta benefit, ask for a receipt with the details listed above.
- Have a backup. People get sick and go away. Two names beat one.
More on what to agree: how to find someone to shovel snow.
Where this comes from
Checked on 28 October 2026 against the City of Edmonton’s residential sidewalk snow and ice page and Assisted Snow Removal Pilot page, the City of Calgary’s Snow Angels page and Home Services for Seniors page, and the Government of Alberta’s Special Needs Assistance for Seniors page. Amounts and income limits change, so check those pages or call 211 before you rely on them.
Find a neighbour to shovel with Neighbr
- Ask for a hand. “Shovel my sidewalk and driveway after snowfalls this winter” — set a price, ask for offers, or say it’s a favour.
- Neighbours nearby offer. Compare their notes, prices, ratings and how often they’ve helped.
- Pick one and agree the details. A private chat opens once you pick; your exact address goes only to them.
- Ask again next storm. Asking again is one tap, so the same helper can keep your walk clear all winter.
Neighbr is free with no fees, and never handles money — you settle up directly. Need a hand? Ask your neighbour.
Common questions
Is there free snow removal for seniors in Edmonton?
Not from the City any more: its Assisted Snow Removal Pilot ended in April 2026. Free help comes from neighbours through Snow Angels (put the City’s “Snow Angel Needed” poster in your window), and lower-income seniors 65+ can claim snow removal back from Alberta’s Special Needs Assistance for Seniors.
Is there free snow removal for seniors in Calgary?
The City of Calgary doesn’t shovel, and its Home Services for Seniors program ends on 30 September 2026. Neighbours who volunteer as Snow Angels help for free, and eligible seniors can be paid back through Alberta’s Special Needs Assistance for Seniors.
Does the City of Calgary do snow removal for seniors?
No. The City says it doesn’t provide snow shovelling services and doesn’t keep a list of Snow Angels. It points eligible seniors to the provincial Special Needs Assistance for Seniors program, and others to 403-SENIORS or 211.
What is the Snow Angel program in Calgary?
A City campaign, usually December to mid-April, that encourages people to adopt a neighbour’s sidewalk and keep it clear. You can thank a Snow Angel with a certificate you print or one the City mails to you after a 311 request.
How much does snow removal for seniors cost?
Neither city sets a price; it’s whatever you agree with the helper or company. If you qualify, Alberta’s Special Needs Assistance for Seniors pays back up to $1,412 a benefit year for housekeeping and yard maintenance together.
Is Neighbr free?
Yes — no fees for asking, offering or messaging.
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