REGINA — For some Regina residents, clearing snow from their driveways and sidewalks can pose health risks.
The city’s bylaw mandates that snow be cleared from a property’s sidewalk within 48 hours. That’s where the Snow Angels come in, a group of volunteers helping out property owners.
Feel free to watch our video to see the Snow Angels in action.
Julia Dima, a snow angel with the Al Richie Community Association (ARCA), explained how the program works.
“So what they [community associations] do is they take a look at who signed up to be a volunteer, who has signed up to receive that service, and the coordinator assigns us houses based on that.”
In 2025, Regina offered 11 community association grants for snow angel programs.
For herself, Dima has been a snow angel for four years and first joined because she recognized the challenges snow removal causes
“We have people with disabilities in our community, we have seniors, we have people who are struggling with chronic illnesses, and this is really hard to do.”
“There is an increased risk of heart attacks, there is an increased risk of falls, and broken bones. So it is dangerous out there,” she added.
One resident benefiting from the Snow Angels is Donna Stachura, who has health complications.
“I suffer from scoliosis in my spine and spondylosis in my leg. I have osteoarthritis, and I've had two major surgeries on my spine recently,” noted Stachura.
“My surgeon told me not to lift over 10 pounds to this day and probably forever because of my condition,” she added.
Because of her medical conditions, Stachura is on Saskatchewan’s Assured Income for Disability (SAID).
Before living in Regina, Stachura would have to pay someone to clear her snow.
“So I'm really grateful to the snow angels coming in and doing this for me.”
Dima is hopeful that more people join the program to ultimately give back to the community.
“We want a community, we have to be willing to invest in it and take care of each other and lead by example.”
More information on the program can be found here.
