Put away your shovel: On-demand snow removal service launching

HALIFAX – A New Brunswick man wants Atlantic Canadians to give their backs a break from shovelling this winter with a new on-demand snow removal service.

Sean Griffith is launching an Uber-like snow removal service in the coming weeks in Moncton and Saint John, N.B., and Halifax, with plans to roll out the business soon after in Fredericton, Truro, N.S., Charlottetown and St. John's, N.L.

Griffith said the idea for Plow Me Out came after last year's brutal winter in the Maritimes, which saw record breaking snowfall amounts.

"Last year, people in this region got to the point where we just couldn't shovel anymore," said Griffith with a laugh.

"After moving into our first house, we realized that we get a lot of snow and shovelling it ourselves really isn't working. But we still weren't ready to commit to a yearly contract and we tried to find somebody who could do it on a one-off basis, but didn't have much luck."

Griffith said people will create an account on their website or through the Plow Me Out app and will answer a few questions about their driveway, which will render a quote.

Once the snow clearing is requested, a notification goes out to an array of snow contractors in the area, he said.

Customers will also be able to pay online through Plow Me Out from the comfort of their couch.

He said the request can be made from anywhere, so travellers won't have to dig their way into their homes when they return.

Griffith said many plow operators have been receptive to the idea as it drums up new business and makes requesting a plow more accessible.

"The service was developed from a customer perspective but also a snow plow operator's perspective," said Griffith, who co-founded the business with Joe Simms of Halifax. "A lot of companies like the idea because we're delivering business directly to them."

Griffith said eventually, he hopes to expand his business countrywide.

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