With our winter weather likely to continue well into March, an opportunity has emerged for city hall.

A group of city councillors wants staff to use this year's remaining snowstorms to experiment with better ways to clear snow from sidewalks.

Each year the city spends between $1.5 and $2 million clearing snow from sidewalks but even so, many vulnerable Londoners still find them too snow-covered to use.

Next week, city staff will be asked to experiment with enhanced snow clearing in neighbourhoods where there are more people with mobility impairments.

It could include plowing those areas sooner and leaving less residual snow behind, while sidewalks in other areas may need less clearing.

"Do some tests this year to determine how much does it cost differently, what are the cost implications if we were to do that on a bigger scale, so that in next year's budget we can determine how we'll do snow clearing," says Councillor Jesse Helmer.

London has more than 1,400 kilometres of sidewalks that need to be cleared after significant snowfalls.

In order to prioritize that work, each sidewalk has been categorized with a number from one through four.

Class one sidewalks are downtown. While a bylaw requires stores to clear them, city hall helps out.

The next priority is sidewalks along arterial roads, bus routes and near hospitals.

The third priority is all remaining residential streets and class four are unmaintained walkways.

"All the streets are kind of prioritized how cars use them. So you have streets that lots of people walk on but it doesn't get prioritized its treated like any other sidewalk in the city," adds Helmer.

Helmer believes high-priority areas may be near schools, retirement communities and along routes that pedestrians frequent.

"This area where we have lots of seniors who have walkers and scooters. I think that should be thought of," says senior Edna Harris.

"I can't push the walker with groceries on it, I can't make it so the cars go around me," adds senior Hannelore Schiffmann.

City staff have a target to clear all sidewalks within 24 hours of a significant snowfall.

The request to experiment with new snow clearing priorities will go before the Civic Works Committee on Tuesday.