Road salt in short supply as county grapples with gruelling winter
As of the end of December, the county had already used 10,000 tonnes of salt – close to two-thirds of the total for a typical winter season
WELLINGTON COUNTY – A road salt shortage is straining Wellington County operations this winter.
The county uses about 16,000 tonnes of road salt in a typical winter season, but roads manager Joe de Koning said should harsh weather persist, more than 20,000 tonnes could be spread across 1,400km of county roads by season’s end.
As of the end of December, the county had already used 10,000 tonnes of salt, according to de Koning.
Total stores in the county’s eight domes dwindled to less than 1,000 tonnes at the end of last year with heavy use in November and December and delayed deliveries from Goderich salt supplier Compass Minerals.
Mine operations VP Syed Kazmi told the Advertiser orders are being filled as soon as finished product reaches the surface.
“We’re constantly shipping out, we haven’t stopped,” Kazmi said.
A major North American supplier of rock salt, Compass mines salt from beneath Lake Huron and ships it throughout the Great Lakes region and along the St. Lawrence Seaway, supplying depots year-round.
Kazmi said elevated demand across the supply chain throughout the winter months has quickly depleted stockpiles.
A few snow-free days could make all the difference, Kazmi said, allowing the company to rebuild its supply.
According to the county, it had 3,200 tonnes of salt stocked this month with an additional 2,000 tonnes on order. Local stores typically aren’t replenished until February.
County officials said deliveries are starting to pick back up, arriving every couple days.
Less salt, more spending
Though the county is rationing its costly salt and mixing in cheaper sand, the cost of treating a road increases with more reliance on expensive deicing liquid.
The $6-million winter road budget for 2025 is likely to overrun by $1.7 million, in part because of this season’s weather and the increased need for road treatments, according to a preliminary estimate by the county.
Sand, salt and deicer alone are expected to ring in at $4 million for 2025 (the tail end of last winter and the start of this winter).
In comparison, the total spend on those supplies has averaged around $1.7 million per year over the past five years, according to county roads supervisor Brad Hutchinson.
Total spending on winter road maintenance in 2025 – including wages, supplies, contracts, insurance, and vehicle maintenance – could approach almost $8 million once costs are finalized.
In 2024, the county spent nearly $5 million of the $6.7 million budgeted. The county stashed the difference of roughly $1.7 million in a reserve account.
County treasurer Ken DeHart said 2024 savings will help cover the 2025 overage.
Relying on sand
The county also provides salt to Minto, Puslinch, Guelph/Eramosa and Centre Wellington, charging the lower-tier municipalities slightly more than the county’s cost.
Some of the municipalities have responded to the supply challenge by adding more sand into their mixes.
Centre Wellington and Minto are relying solely on sand for treatments during the shortage.
Officials in Wellington North and Mapleton said the townships aren’t contending with shortages because of smaller road networks.
Erin and Puslinch officials did not respond to the Advertiser’s inquiries.
According to the county, the four municipalities supplied by the county collectively used around 3,200 tonnes of salt from November through December.
